The Crater Lake interpretive program continued to suffer from inadequate facilities and staffing. In 1960, for instance, Superintendent Brown described the accomplishments and problems facing the program:
The summer interpretive program was conducted from June 15 through September 15. The daily schedule of activities during the peak months of visitor use (July and August) included 3 evening talks, 2 launch trips on Crater Lake, 1 field trip, visitor contacts at the north junction viewpoint, and operation of 2 interpretive stations. The peak staff consisted of the chief park naturalist, assistant park naturalist, 12 seasonal interpreters, and 1 clerk-stenographer.
A reasonable balance exists between personal services and self-guiding devices. However, both types of services need to be improved and expanded. We can gradually improve and expand on self-guiding devices and possibly meet the demand. Personal services and facilities for these services are more of a problem. Supervision and training of seasonal employees has not been adequate and probably will not be until another permanent interpreter is added to the staff.
Facilities for personal services are sadly lacking. Sinnott Memorial Overlook was an outstanding interpretive station, but is now too small for present travel and is in need of rehabilitation. We have no visitor center; the exhibit building has only 360 square feet of space for information and interpretive services. More than 54,000 (14%) of park visitors were recorded during 1960. An adequate visitor center, in a good location, could be visited by over one-half of park visitors, including nearly all winter visitors who now receive no interpretive services.
Considering the lack of facilities and the staffing needs, the interpretive program for Crater Lake appears satisfactory and is providing needed services so that the more interested visitors can receive the knowledge and other benefits they seek.
Brown went on to describe the multi-faceted components of the park interpretive program. Twelve routed plastic interpretive markers which had been placed along Rim Drive during 1959 were popular, according to Brown, and “contributed greatly to visitor facilities for self-guiding.” Plans were underway for an additional seven routed plastic markers and one routed wood sign along the drive.
The Information Building, which had become known as the Exhibit Building, and the Sinnott Memorial served in dual capacities as interpretive and information stations, and both were attended by interpretive personnel from June 15 to September 15, 1959. At the Sinnott Memorial naturalists gave five twenty-minute talks daily on the geologic origin of Crater Lake. As time permitted a naturalist was stationed at the lake viewpoint near North Junction to provide information, this new activity resulting in some 2,500 visitor contacts. An information station was maintained in the Administration Building throughout the year, and the two park entrance stations dispensed information and Park Service brochures.
Many books, maps, and slides were sold by the Crater Lake Natural History Association at the Exhibit Building and the Administrative Building. Annual gross sales amounted to some $4,700.
Park study collections were maintained in the Administration Building. The herbarium was composed of more than 3,200 sheets of vascular plants, packets, bottles, and boxes of plant specimens. The zoological collection contained more than 700 specimens of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, plus several hundred invertebrates. An insect collection filled one cabinet, and the mineral and rock collection consisted of 82 specimens.
Museum exhibits were housed in the Exhibit and Administration buildings and the Sinnott Memorial. Simple displays on human and natural history were shown in the Exhibit Building, while the Sinnott Memorial interpreted visible geologic features with a rock collection, large color transparencies, paintings, and photographs. Interpretive panels salvaged from the 1959 Oregon Centennial Exposition in Portland were displayed in the lobby of the Administration Building.
New plastic plant labels were used to identify plants in Rim Village and along the Garfield Peak, Discovery Point, and Castle Crest Wildflower Garden trails. A mimeographed guide to the Castle Garden trail was introduced in August and used by some 2,370 visitors.
