Interpreting the Corral

The Dates: Nineteen of the 34 corral samples dated. A near cutting date in 1908+GB fits with the dates from Room 3 for inferring the initial construction of the corral. The latest date from the corral suggests use after the 1920 Douglas-fir growing season (possibly spring 1921). There are no later, i.e. 1928, dates, but the corral was probably in use until at least that time.
The Wood Species: In contrast to the lambing pens, juniper is the most common species in the corral; Douglas-fir, pinyon, ponderosa, a spruce/fir, and even oak are present as well. The species distribution may be skewed by our sampling strategy, but juniper was clearly the most used species, probably because of its immediate availability.