Johnny Sack Cabin selected to receive preservation award
ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho Heritage Trust selected the Johnny Sack Cabin and Waterwheel to receive the second annual Frederick Walters Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation.
The cabin is located at Big Springs on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in the Ashton/Island Part Ranger District. The award will be presented in person later this year.
The award recognizes Bill Davis, Ashton/Island Park District Ranger on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Fremont County Commissioners Scott Kamachi (Chairman), Rick Hill and Blair Dance, as well as Fremont County Parks and Recreation Director Tamra Cikaitoga for the immaculate attention to preserving the materials and methods Sack used to construct his cabin.
"It is an honor and privilege to care for such an important historical landmark as the Johnny Sack Cabin," Davis said. "We value the many years of partnership with Fremont County, Fremont County Parks and Recreation Director Tamra Cikaitoga, Island Park Chamber of Commerce, Island Park community, and Idaho Heritage Trust that have made the care and maintenance of the Johnny Sack Cabin possible."
The cabin is open to the public from mid-June to mid-September. Forest Service volunteers and seasonal employees staff the cabin daily and provide in-depth interpretation to the public, as well as daily cleaning and maintenance to preserve the cabin and its history. The Forest Service cooperates with Fremont County Parks and Recreation to maintain the cabin and preserve its integrity and beauty. The cabin maintenance is funded almost entirely by donations from the public.
Johnny Sack immigrated to the United States from Bavaria, Germany, with his family in 1891 at the age of 6. He arrived in Idaho at the age of 24 in June 1909 via a passenger train. He leased a small tract of land at Big Springs from the Forest Service in 1929 and started building his cabin, completing it three years later.
Sack's craftmanship is characterized by his use of bark in his furniture and house details. When the bark is prepared carefully, it remains on the wood, adding an interesting texture and color to window trim, wall panels, ceiling lamps, chairs, desks, beds, and other wooden items.
Sack's cabin was to be removed from Big Springs after his death in 1957, but the cabin and its vibrant history were saved through the efforts of interested citizens, including Rudy and Elberta Kipp. The cabin was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The award is named after Fred Walters, a famous historical architect and a dedicated collaborator of Idaho Heritage Trust. Walters offered technical evaluations and guidance to numerous projects that showcased exceptional adherence to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historical Properties. The award particularly recognizes projects that demonstrate outstanding craftsmanship, use period-accurate materials, and employ appropriate methods during the restoration and preservation process.
Before joining the Idaho Heritage Trust, Walters served as the curator for the Idaho State Historical Society, where he spent 14 years honing his skills and attaining licensure as an architect. As an honor to Walters' retirement from the Idaho Heritage Trust, this award is given to those who go above and beyond in preserving Idaho's cultural heritage.
The Idaho Heritage Trust, founded in 1990 by Idaho's Centennial Commission and the Idaho Legislature, preserves Idaho's historic buildings, revitalizes historic theaters, restores rural "Main Streets" and conducts archaeological research in Idaho.
