Great American Outdoors Act Funding Restores Historic Cant Ranch Barn and Shearing Shed

Contact: John Day Interpretation Team

KIMBERLY, Ore. - The legacy of early European settlers to the John Day Basin is being safeguarded. Supported by the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund signed by President Donald J. Trump in 2020, the roofs of the historic Cant barn and shearing shed were restored.

The project brought together park staff and a GAOA-funded Maintenance Action Team, including skilled craftspeople from the Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) and Traditional Trades Advancement Program interns. These teams specialize in preserving historic structures, enabling the National Park Service to complete projects in small and medium-sized parks while passing critical trade skills to the next generation.

The crew replaced cracked, split, and warped cedar shingles and installed missing ones. The restoration improved the integrity of the roofs and ensured the long-term preservation of the structures by protecting them from environmental damages like wind, ultraviolet exposure, and animals.

"The historic Cant Ranch stands as a prominent landmark within John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, offering insight into both the Cant family's legacy and the broader history of ranching in the region. Thanks to funding from the Great American Outdoors Act, essential repairs and preservation efforts were made to the barn and shearing shed, ensuring these sites will continue to illustrate ranching life for visitors well into the future," said Superintendent Curt Dimmick. "Collaboration with the Maintenance Action Team and HPTC was instrumental in completing this project, which would not have been possible without their support."

The Cant barn and shearing shed are part of the Cant Ranch grounds within the Sheep Rock Unit of the park. They help tell the story of James and Elizabeth Cant's life living off the land after immigrating from Scotland to the John Day Basin in the early 1900s, where they remained until their deaths in the 1970s.

About the National Park Service. Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America's most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations.