Sessions | Tuition & Credits | Financial Assistance | Accommodations | Travel | Partners | How to Apply | Contact Us
The 2024 Pacific Northwest Preservation Field School will be held at Deception Pass State Park.
Deception Pass is a strait separating Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island in northwest Washington. It connects Skagit Bay, part of Puget Sound, with the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A historic bridge connects the two islands and the park includes land on both sides. The park has a wonderful collection of buildings and structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s, providing infrastructure for visitors coming to enjoy the rugged coastline and old-growth forest.
The Field School will address the complex issues related to the preservation of structures and landscapes developed by the CCC. Work will focus on a CCC built log and stone former comfort station (restroom). A preliminary list of projects to be addressed all three weeks includes log repair and replacement and window repair, reglazing and reconstruction. Additional topics may include historic landscape survey and maintenance workshops, stone repointing, and metal preservation. Field trips and evening presentations will fill out the three one-week sessions. Lodging and meals are provided.
The Field School is an inclusive learning opportunity open to all, whether you have previous preservation experience or not, whatever your age. You do not need to be a student or affiliated with the University of Oregon.
Join us at Deception Pass for an exciting week of preservation training and education.
Sessions
All sessions will focus on log work and wood window repair. Additional topics will be addressed each week as noted below. More topics will be added as plans are finalized.
Session 1
August 25 – August 31
Additional Topics: Landscape Preservation
Session 2
September 1 – September 7
Additional Topics: TBD
Session 3
September 8–13
Additional Topics: Preservation Primer
Sessions begin on Sunday evening with an orientation and dinner. Work for sessions 1 and 2 ends on Friday evening, but participants may stay over Friday night, vacating the lodging on Saturday morning. Work for session 3 will end on Thursday evening but participants can stay over Thursday night and vacate lodging on Friday morning. Additional information including a weekly schedule and more detailed work agendas are under development and will be provided soon.
Sessions will be led by professionals specializing in the techniques and materials involved. Past faculty at the Field School have come from the National Park Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Oregon State Department of Parks & Recreation, Oregon State University, the University of Oregon, Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission, Washington State Office of Archaeology & Historic Preservation. Instructors have included professionals from preservation, architecture, and engineering firms throughout the Northwest.
Tuition and Credits
Tuition includes all training sessions, evening presentations, field trips, meals, and lodging. For an additional fee, Field School participants can earn two graduate or undergraduate level credits from the University of Oregon Continuing and Professional Education for each repeatable one-week session. Grading is on a pass/no pass basis.
Sessions 1 and 2
- Tuition (no credits): $900
- Tuition and Two (2) Undergraduate Credits: $1,150
- Tuition and Two (2) Graduate credits: $1,250
Session 3 (shorter session)
- Tuition (no credits): $750
- Tuition and Two (2) Undergraduate Credit: $1,000
- Tuition and Two (2) Graduate Credit: $1,100
Financial Assistance
The John Platz Scholarship covers the tuition for one field school session and a $100 travel allowance. This scholarship is awarded to an individual pursuing professional training in historic preservation. It is open to all field school participants. To be considered for the award, applicants are asked to submit a brief essay accompanying their application and submit their application by May 31.
One of the co-founders of the Pacific Northwest Field School when it was started in 1995, John Platz had been the leader of the U.S. Forest Service preservation team at Mt. Hood with work that included log construction and Timberline Lodge. He brought his remarkable skill in wood construction and preservation of all historic materials to the Pacific Northwest Field Schools for the following 20 years. He was greatly admired by the students for his knowledge as well as his patient teaching of craft. He passed away in 2021. This award was established and is generously supported by PNW Preservation Field School founding faculty member Don Peting.
Accommodations
Accommodations and meals are included in the Field School tuition. Accommodations are basic and may include shared rooms. Details will be added to this site soon.
Travel
Deception Pass State Park is located 1.5 to 2 hours north of Seattle. Participants may drive or carpool to the Field School site. For those traveling by air the Field School van will pick up at Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) on Sunday each week of Field School. The driver will meet all arriving parties at a central location. The tentative pick-up time from SEA is 2:30pm. The van will return air travelers to the same airport on the Saturday ending Field School for weeks one and two and on Friday for week three. The tentative drop-off time at SEA is 8:30am. Final departure and arrival times will be confirmed and posted. Inquire with pnwfs@uoregon.edu before making travel plans that rely on the Field School van.
Partners
The Pacific Northwest Preservation Field School has been a partnership among multiple agencies for more than 25 years. Current partners include:
- University of Oregon
- National Park Service
- Idaho State Historical Society
- Idaho State Parks & Recreation
- Oregon Parks & Recreation Department
- Oregon State Historic Preservation Office
- Washington State Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation
- Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission (2024 Host Organization)
How to Apply
Applications are now open. Follow the link below to our online application. Upon acceptance of your application, you will receive a link to register and submit payment. Priority will be given to applications received by May 31. The Field School is an inclusive learning opportunity open to all, whether you have previous preservation experience or not, whatever your age. You do not need to be a student or affiliated with the University of Oregon.
Contact Us
Email us with any questions or concerns: pnwfs@uoregon.edu
This program receives federal funds for the identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Chief, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW, MS-2740, Washington, D.C. 20240.
This publication has been funded in part with federal funds from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior.