Above...two photos depicting the construction of the landmark Chalet in McMurdo in 1969-1970. This distinctive prefabricated structure, the main NSF office facility in McMurdo, was the first major building project completed by a prime NSF support contractor, which at the time was Holmes and Narver, Inc. (H&N). The site preparation had been completed by the Navy the previous year, but due to reductions in manpower, the Seabee unit CBU 201 was unable to erect the structure due to their other McMurdo projects, which included the completion of Building 155 and the USARP Hotel [California]. So, the project was tasked to H&N. It was successfully completed in that one summer season. The left photo above is by RM3 Ken "Hogman" Trettin, a Deep Freeze 1970 winterover; the right photo is a U.S. Navy photo from the Antarctic Journal, July/August 1970.

Why a "chalet?" Perhaps because it replaced NSF's "Swiss Chalet" (left) which had been erected and adorned in 1961-62 on the same site. More info about that Swiss Chalet....