Historic Bodie Church Stabilization - Bodie, CA
The Bodie Church stands within Bodie State Historic Landmark #341, one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the American West and a California State Historic Park. Over time, the church developed a visible lean to the north and east as a result of a deficient lateral bracing system — a condition requiring careful structural intervention to preserve the building without compromising its historic integrity.
Treeline Construction was contracted by California State Parks to structurally stabilize the church while maintaining its historic character. Working in coordination with Linchpin Structural Engineering (Douglas Gadow, SE), Treeline completed a controlled de-racking of the structure using Tirfor grip hoists with sequential tensioning and laser monitoring, achieving a corrected geometry of ¾" tolerance or better. A permanent in-wall shear system was installed entirely within the existing stud cavities, preserving the historic fabric while providing full structural stability.
Located at approximately 8,375 feet in elevation, the site presents both harsh winter and harsh summer conditions. Treeline sequenced the work to minimize impact on the visiting public throughout the construction period.
Treeline's scope included pre-construction laser survey and documentation; removal, labeling, and protected storage of approximately 1,400 SF of interior lap siding and eight historic windows; installation of holdown assemblies at 14 locations with CMST14 straps connected to the existing concrete foundation; installation of vertical boundary members at 53 stud bays; and installation of 53 in-wall plywood shear panels. Restoration of the interior — including reinstallation of all windows, siding, and finish work to return the church to its pre-construction condition — will be completed under a separate construction phase.
Treeline self-performed all structural work, managing quality control, safety, and compliance with the 2022 California Building Code and California Historic Building Code throughout.
