DESIGN OF PARK AND RECREATION AREAS 207 



THE RESERVATION 



The human use purpose of the reservation is practically the same as 

 that of the large city park. Hence the fitting of the reservation for human 

 use follows very much the same lines as are followed in designing large 

 parks. The distinct difference is that, as a general rule, the natural topog- 

 raphy and plant growth are left more as they came from the hand of God 

 than in the average large city park. The effort of the landscape designer is 

 directed to maintaining the wildness of the reservation, for after all this 

 character is fundamentally its chief charm. 



On the basis of size two distinct types of reservations may be dis- 

 tinguished, although the one shades imperceptibly into the other. The first 

 of these types is the small reservation ranging from a few to a hundred or 

 more acres. The small reservations are generally wooded tracts bordering 

 upon streams, shores of lakes or the ocean or arms of the ocean, although 

 there are some instances where there are no water forms of any kind in 

 their topography. Several states, notably Michigan, Iowa, New Hamp- 

 shire, Texas, Oregon, Washington, and many counties, have provided num- 

 bers of these reservations. They are intended primarily for picnicking and 

 temporary camping for tourists and family groups, although some of them 

 may present natural features which make them important bathing and 

 boating centers. 



The fitting of these areas for use by the people involves the designing 

 and construction of service roadways, footpaths both for getting about 

 the various picnic grounds with ease and for hiking through the wilder 

 portions, the development of a water supply usually through deep driven 

 wells, the erection of toilet facilities, construction of a shelter house or 

 houses, outdoor ovens or fireplaces, and tables and benches. A home for 

 a caretaker will also be a necessity unless someone living in the vicinity 

 is employed in that capacity. Some of these small reservations have 

 elaborate bathhouse facilities, boating docks and a fleet of boats. Those 

 highly developed for tourist camping may have a shelter house in the form 

 of a small community house, wash house and possibly a special structure 

 for cooking and dining. 



At some of these small reservations quite commodious inns have 

 been erected, providing not only dining facilities but sleeping accommoda- 

 tions as well. The sleeping accommodations may be provided in the inns, 

 or in cabins or cottages, or in both types of structures. 



The large reservations are distinguished from the smaller, not only 

 by their size but also by a greater variety of topography, plant growth, 

 and by the more varied uses to which they may be put. 



