Sandstone Peak-Mishe Mokwa Trail and Water Conveyance System - Determination of Eligibility

Groundwork Planning & Preservation was hired by the National Park Service (NPS) and the Santa Monica Mountains Fund to write a Determination of Eligibility (DOE) for the Sandstone Peak-Mishe Mokwa trail and water conveyance system associated with the former Camp W. Herbert Allen, located in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) above Malibu, California. The DOE was structured in the form of a historic resource assessment report with accompanying State of California survey forms (DPR 523 series) and was commissioned to fulfill compliance with Section 106 regulations prior to maintenance and upgrades by the NPS. Research topics included early development of the property by the Navy Seabees, correspondence between key players, and general history of Circle X Ranch.

The project demonstrates the Groundwork team’s ability to document large-scale resources and conduct original research on non-conventional cultural resource types. NPS staff will use the information presented in the DOE to support management of the trail and water conveyance system as the NPS rehabilitates them for future visitor use.