Naked
lady sculpture at Crater Lake since 1917
Mail Tribune
Medford, Oregon
September 28, 2000
I remember when I was a small child living in Eagle Point, we
drove to Crater Lake. On the way up, we turned on a gravel road
to the left, I think. We viewed a naked lady carved on a rock.
We had so many ideas how she got there. Do you have any
information on this and how would we get there now?
— Donna D., Medford
You may be talking about The Lady of the Woods, Donna. This
relatively unknown stone sculpture has graced Crater Lake
National Park since 1917.
The lady lives in Munson Valley, near the park headquarters,
right behind the visitor center, says park spokeswoman Marsha
McCabe. She’s one of the featured attractions on a trail that
winds through the woods around the park’s historic buildings.
Dr.
Earl Bush sculpted the lady while working for the U.S. Health
Bureau. Working without a model, he sculpted a nude female form
in deep relief on a granite boulder. Since that means that only
part of it is visible in profile, it’s unclear whether the good
Dr. Bush intended to sculpt a full three-dimensional figure or
chose to leave her unfinished.
No one knows whether he ever returned to Crater Lake to see his
work.
He later described her as "my offering to the forest, my
interpretation of its awful stillness and repose, its beauty,
fascination, and unseen life..."
If you want to see her again, go to the park’s visitor center.
They can give you directions.
("Since You Asked'' is a daily feature in the Mail Tribune that
answers questions from readers on virtually any topic of general
interest. To submit a question, e-mail us at youasked@mailtribune.com
Please include your name, address and phone number for
verification.
If you have specific questions about our Web site or other
questions about the Mail Tribune, please send them to tellus@mailtribune.com)
