"Firsts"
1996
Summer
The Park buys its first real fire truck at a cost of
$285,000. The purchase elates the Chief Ranger.
Fiscal Year 1996
ONPS Budget set at: $3.3 million. The first time the Park’s
operating budget has topped $3 million..
1991
Fiscal Year 1991
Park ONPS budget set at $2.1 million. The first year the park
operation has exceeded $2 million.
1988
August 8
According to the MT, last Friday, Oceanographer Jack Dymond
becomes the first person to see the bottom of Crater Lake.
1987
January 17
Seventeen year-old Brian Smith of Jacksonville, Oregon climbs to
the top of Union Peak while circumnavigating the mountain on
skis. The trip started at 6:50 a.m. and was completed by 2:15
p.m. Brian skied and climbed 18 miles on a clear and cold
day. The first recorded solo winter climb of Union Peak by a
teenager in seven hours.
First winter research trip to Wizard Island, via
helicopter. Jerry McCrea, Fred Vanhorn, Jim Milestone, Jim
Webster and Mark Buktenica.
1986
March 5
A five man team flies into the Caldera to stay on the island to
gather information on why the Lake water has become
“cloudy”. Water samples and data during the winter were being
gathered for the first time. The trip had been scrubbed two
previous times because of bad weather. A new boathouse and
living quarters was built on Wizard Island last summer in
preparation for the team.
1985
August 10
Lee Juillerat and Ed Otterson, both of Klamath Falls, complete
their 10th straight year of running the Rim Run. Portlander Ray
Langston, 50, placing number 51, completes his 51st marathon in
one year. Ray expects to run 58 marathons this year, with two
days to spare. This will set a new running record. The
Rim Run’s
first wheel chair contestant, a woman, “wheeled” the 6.7 mile
section, finishing number 48.
1984
summer
Sharon Hackerott, 21, of Ashland, Oregon becomes the Lodge
Company’s first female boat driver.
1982
July 12
Using six shots, Ranger Tom Young dispatches an injured beaver
near North Junction. The beaver had been hit by a car and was
blind in one eye. The beaver could possibly have come up from
either the Lake, National Creek or Boundary Springs. This was
the first ever recorded sighting of a beaver on the Rim of
Crater Lake.
July 23
The “Square Knots” square dancing club from Newberg, Oregon,
dance two square dances of two squares on the dock of
Wizard Island. The club performs the first organized square
dance inside the Rim of Crater Lake.
1981
September 5
Seasonal Ranger Lloyd Smith “retires” from Crater Lake National
Park after working 21 summers for the NPS. Lloyd worked: four
summers on Maintenance, one summer as a trail boss at Rocky
Mountain National Park, one summer at the North Entrance, was
the Park’s first campground patrol ranger working in Mazama
Campground for one summer, and then he worked 15 summers as a
law enforcement Patrol Ranger. Lloyd set the Park Seasonal
Housing record of 11 summers in the same house, Stonehouse #30.
1979
Fiscal Year 1979
For the first time the Park’s budget tops one million dollars.
($1.04 million)
Summer
Extensive geological study of the Lake, Caldera and the
surrounding volcanic landscape by Dr. Charlie Bacon of the
U.S.G.S. An exhaustive mapping of the Rim Wall is also
planned. Bacon estimates the project will take ten years for him
to update Mt. Mazama’s story and to produce new topographic
maps. This will be the first major geological study of the Park
since Howel Williams’ major study over 40 years ago.
June 12
Nancy Rohn, 21, from Chicago, becomes the first female law
enforcement patrol ranger at Crater Lake.
Baby boy born to Ken & Jeannie Newfield, YCC Director, of
Ashland, Oregon. The baby boy was home delivered in Building 34
and is the first recorded birth at Crater Lake. Young Newfield
is temporarily named, “Mazama Wizard”, but is eventually named
“Austin”.
October 8
After first being spotted by Ranger Larry Smith, two would be
canoeists are fined $25 for launching two canoes on the Lake and
camping on Wizard Island. Ranger Jim Donovan made contact with
the two at 9:00 p.m. after kayaking to the island in his own
kayak. The first midnight Lake kayak operation on record.
March 1
The first annual Dutton Creek Cross Country Ski Race. Reider
Peterson, age 40, former U.S. Olympic Team member, wins in 39.0
minutes. Ten year old Brian Smith, wins the youth division in
80.45 minutes.
May
Seasonal Ranger Rod Cranson publishes the geological story of
Crater Lake entitled “Crater Lake - Gem of the Cascades”. Rod’s
book is the first geological book published about Crater Lake
since Howel Williams’ 1942 book.
1978
March 29
Six rangers lower the Park’s inflatable rescue raft over the Rim
and into the Lake for a practice exercise. The first record of
winter boating on the Lake.
October 18
Superintendent James Rouse issues a new pet policy allowing
permanent Park residents and employees to keep pets in the Park
for the first time.
1977
April
Mr. George Woodfield, of Yakima, Washington, donates John
Maben’s collection of negatives, manuscripts, diaries and
photographs of Crater Lake to the Oregon Historical
Society. John Maben was the first winter caretaker of Crater
Lake Lodge in 1924. Maben had attracted considerable attention
when his monthly dispatches about his solitary life at Cater
Lake were published in national magazines. Maben’s collection
was presented to the OHS in memory of Alta Knips Woodfield,
Maben’s niece, who had done a great deal of research on the
history of Crater Lake.
July
Construction begun on the widening of the first three miles of
the West Rim Drive, beginning at Rim Village.
August 31
An unseasonably low snow pack allows the Scoria Cone snow plug
to melt out sufficiently to allow entry into he cone’s volcanic
vent for the first time. Ranger Pat Allender rappels
approximately 150 feet into the Scoria Cone Cave without finding
bottom.
September 20
The first large scale exploration of the interior of Scoria Cone
is conducted by Dan Mason, Dave Lange, John Davis, Chief Ranger
Dan Sholly and Geology expert, Stan Mertzman. Sholly and Lange
descend to a depth of 400 to 500 feet and explore two additional
“chimneys” or conduits, 12 feet by 25 feet each with a vertical
relief of 200 feet. During the arduous trek out, near midnight,
the Chief is struck on the arm by a falling rock and because of
his injured arm, Dan is forced to pull himself out using only
one arm.
1976
First Annual Crater Lake Rim Run marathon. The event attracts 49
runners. This may be the highest elevation marathon in
America. A cool, foggy day.
Rim Run Winners:
Men: 6.5 miles, Dave Ellison, Klamath Falls, Oregon 37.28
13.0 miles, Bruce Manboyl, Crater Lake, Oregon 1:21.25
26.2 miles, Frank Shields, Chiloquin, Oregon 3:28.21
Women: 6.5 miles, Nancy Kurth, Klamath Fall, Oregon 52.46
August 3
Seasonal Ranger, Phil Hixson rides the first horse over 5 miles
of the new PCT Trail near the South Park boundary.
1973
November 30
Friday: 5 p.m.- A record breaking snowfall and a fuel shortage
combines to force the winter closure of the West Entrance road
from Union Creek to Annie Spring. This will be the first such
road closure since World War II. The seven mile closure saves
7,000 to 8,000 gallons of diesel fuel.
July 11
At 8:15 a.m. the Park is closed to the public with all entrances
being manned on a 24-hour basis. This becomes the first closure
of a major National Park in the history of the NPS.
1972
July 8
The old East Entrance is reopened with entrance fees being
charged for the first time in 14 years. The Forest Service
spends $10,000 and the NPS $1,000 rebuilding the connecting road
from the Sun Mountain Highway to the East Park Boundary. Park
officials felt that with the new one-way road system now in
effect, people would want a closer Eastern entrance or exit
instead of being forced to circle the entire Lake.
1970
June 26
The first major car clout of the season occurs in Mazama
Campground. The clout netted over $1,000.
June 27
Most National Park Campgrounds begin charging camping fees for
the first time. Lost Creek Campground remains a free camp.
1969
Summer
Ranger staff mans the summer Information Desk at Park
Headquarters until midnight for the first time. 24 hour
Park patrols are also instituted for the first time.
1968
Winter 1967-68 Record low snowfall of 365 inches. Lake level
falls .11 inch, the first measurable decrease of the Lake’s
level during the winter months.
July 28
The Douglas County Pelicans conduct the first organized SCUBA
dive in Crater Lake. The Club dives to about 100 feet.
Summer
As an experiment, the NPS campgrounds at the Everglades and
Crater Lake National Parks are turned over, for the first time,
to their respective park concessionaires. Following extreme and
adverse public reaction and complaints, the two campgrounds are
returned to the National Park Service the following year.
1964
July
The Park’s Medford offices are permanently moved, from the
Federal Building to Crater Lake. For the first time the
Superintendent is required to live in the Park year round.
1959
Summer
The “Fisher”, a former tuna bait boat, is lowered over the
Crater wall. The excursion boat is named for, Don Fisher, the
first superintendent of Lava Beds Nation Monument.
1956
August 25-26
The first authorized use of scuba gear on the Lake and at Wizard
Island.
1955
September 4 - 10
27 fires in nine days, burning 31 acres. Most of the fires were
caused by lightning. This is the first time a bulldozer is used
in the Park to fight forest fires.
1951
August
Large concentrations of California Tortoise Shell butterflies
are seen fluttering past Mt. Scott. The first detailed study of
Sphagnum Bog are begun.
1950
Summer
Ruth Hopson Keen, 4138 S.W. Fourth Ave., Portland, OR 97201,
(222-1430) becomes the first lady Ranger-Naturalist. Ruth worked
the month of June, then taught at the Park under Dr. Rule. She
gave her programs in the Lodge and lived for two summers with
the Leavitts.
1943
Summer
First woman lookout. Visitation: 28,637 - equaled the number of
visitors from 1921.
1939
Summer
Al Smith, Lodge house boy, claims to be the first recorded
person to walk around Crater Lake after a day’s work. Smith,
accompanied by a house girl also named Smith, leave the Lodge
area at 7:00 p.m. and return to the Lodge at approximately 5:45
a.m. in time to go to work at 7 a.m. They traveled by trail, no
trail and by road around the Lake.
1936
First bird banding in the Park is done by Seasonal Naturalist Quaintance. 16 Clark’s Nutcrackers are banded with aluminum
bands.
March
Mrs. Mabel Hedgepeth of Prospect becomes the first woman to ski
around the Rim. Her husband works as a heavy equipment operator
in the Park.
1935
Winter 1935 - 1936
Park approach roads and the highway to the Rim are kept open for
the first time throughout the winter.
1935
John Doerr becomes the Park’s first Park Naturalist. The Park’s
Commissioner is no longer required to live in the Park. A stone
entrance station and residence are constructed at the North
Junction. The buildings were torn town 20 years later.
1932
March 6
First sightings of snow bergs floating on the Lake.
March
The first aerial inspection of the Park by Park officials.
June 7
The first Oregon Jay’s nest found in the Park.
June 11
J.O. Shively, Crater Lake’s first auto passenger, visits the
Park.
1931
Summer
Boy Scout, Drew Chick, conducts the first narrated auto caravan
around Crater Lake. Chick filled in at the last moment because
the regular scheduled ranger had taken ill. The auto caravan
proved to be very popular.
September 22
Power is delivered to a transformer substation at the Lodge,
making the first time that generators do not have to be used. An
11,000 volt transmission line is constructed.
October 8
Braving the dangers of the high altitude and precipitous cliffs,
the first airplane in history lands on the windblown waters of
Crater Lake. The ship, a yellow winged amphibian with crimson
fuselage, was piloted by Clayton Scott of Seattle, and mechanic
George Dahlberg. The plan approached from over the Annie Spring
Checking Station, circled gracefully around Wizard Island, and
landed easily near the shore of the Island, being tossed about
by strong winds and waves. Soon after it landed, the ship taxied
toward the East shore and slowly raised from the water. The
plane circled low over the Information Building while Pilot
Scott tossed out pictures of the plane and of the
passengers. The plane barely missed the tree tops.
1930
January 22
Death of Steven Mather, first director of the National Park
Service.
Winter
Ranger Rudy Luech, 25, claims to be the first person to ski
around Crater Lake in one day. (see: April, 1985)
June
Dr. Wiggam, of Stanford University and Professor Poutney of
Humboldt College sight a large timber wolf walking leisurely
along the edge of a median above Headquarter, carrying a marmot
it his mouth.
“From time to time reports having come to us of wolves being
seen in various parts of the park. Owing to the vagueness of the
descriptions of the animals seen, and the uncertainty of the
authenticity of their source, little credence has been placed in
these rumors.
About the middle of June, a report of a wolf came to us which
could not be doubted. Dr. Wiggam, Curator of the Dudely
Herbarium at Stanford University and Professor Poultney, head of
the Science Department at the Humboldt State Teacher’s College
were closing field work in a meadow just above Park
Headquarters, when a large timber wolf walked leisurely along
the edge of the meadow carrying a marmot in his mouth, and owing
to their scientific training and experience, no doubt can be
entertained but that the animal seen was really a wolf. This may
be regarded as the first authentic record of a wolf being seen
in the park since the Educational Division began operation here
in the season of 1928.”
1929
July 25
Landscape architect E.A. Davidson orders six foot wide walks be
staked as diagonal paths to augment circulation along the
promenade. The first planting soil is secured.
August 4
Mrs. Lee Fourrier, champion endurance swimmer becomes the first
person to swim Crater Lake. Lee entered the waters at a little
cave north of the Wine glass at 4:20 pm, heavily greased and
emerged 6 1/2 miles distant, at 8:34:43, 4 hours, 18 minutes and
43 seconds later. The swim was delayed until special permission
from the Superintendent could be obtained. Swimming in the Lake
has been forbidden for years. Even though Mrs. Fourrier held the
world’s endurance swimming record of 57 hours, she claimed this
was the “hardest swim I ever made. The water was like ice. I was
ready to climb out after an hour, and if it hadn’t been for the
crowd on the opposite shore, I would have given up.”
Summer
During the construction of the Sinnott Memorial Overlook, a
carpenter working on the building of the over-look’s flat roof,
tells of how he drove a bucket of golf balls off the flat
surface of the roof toward the Lake. He remembers only one ball
making it into the water. The new Overlook building was the
first federally-funded museum in a national park. Its design
borrowed heavily from the Yavapai Observation Station at the
Grand Canyon.
1928 or 1929
The first edition of “Crater Lake Nature Notes”. 40% of all
visitors camped with 28,000 campers being registered at the Rim
Campground. Nine campgrounds are listed as being in the
Park: Wheeler Creek, Lost Creek, two at Annie Spring,
Headquarters, Cold Springs, Cold Creek, White Horse and one at
the Rim.
1927
Winter
First annual Crater Lake Ski Race staged from 1/2 mile south of
Ft. Klamath, up to the Lodge on the Rim and back again to the
Fort, a distance of 42.6 miles and a total elevation climb of
2,200 feet. Won by Manfred Jacobson of McCloud, California, in 7
hours and 34 minutes. A crowd of over 1,000 people showed up at
the Fort to cheer on the race participants.
July
The first road oiling project is begun at the Rim to fight the
blowing pumice dust after a new road from Munson Valley reaches
Rim Village. The new route changed the Village’s circulation
patter because it now enters the area at the plaza created by
the NPS instead of near the Lodge. The old 1914 route is
abandoned.
1926
1926 season
The first stone building, a warehouse, is built at Park
Headquarters. A wing is built onto the Kiser Studio at Rim
Village. Fred Kiser blazes and surveys a new Lake trail from the
Western portion of Rim Village. The first 16 miles of Park
entrance roads are paved. The entrance fee to Crater Lake is
reduced from $2.50 to $1.00 where it remained until the 1960’s.
1925
May 5
Orson Stearns, first recorded white man to touch the waters of
Crater Lake dies in Ashland.
1925 Season
For the first time in its history, Crater Lake entertained
guests from every state in the Union.
1924
June 12
The Rim Lodge opens with 800 people visiting the first day.
1923
August
Two army planes fly over Crater Lake. They claim to be the
first
planes to fly over the Lake.
1922
October
The National Park Service is designated as an official weather
observer. The first weather station in the Park was established
at Anna Springs soon after the park was established.
1921
August
George Collins, Secretary of the Park Company drives the first
car ever, a Peerless, 14 miles from Crater Lake to Diamond Lake,
breaking down all obstacles in his path and crashing through a
huge log blocking the course.
1918
September 3
The “Rim Boulevard” completes its connection and the
first
continuous trip around the Lake is made by Alex Sparrow in a
Park truck. A water system is installed at the Rim for public
use.
October
The grading of the new Rim Road is completed. The first car to
make the complete circle is a Ford, from Klamath Falls.
1917
Summer
Dr. Bush, “Lady of the Woods” sculptor claims the distinction of
being the first white man to camp over-night on Wizard
Island. (Claim is unfounded)
October 17
Superintendent Alex Sparrow, rides his horse “Imp” down the
Sparrow Lake Trail, below the Lodge. The first horse to reach
the shores of Crater Lake.
1916
November 20
William G. Steel resigns as Superintendent and is appointed as
first Park Commissioner. J.S. Diller names Steel Bay while Steel
is superintendent.
1915
July 3
The new Crater Lake Lodge formally opens in honor of Governor
Withycombe and the first meals are served. Governor’s Bay on
Wizard Island named by Steel in honor of the Governor. The
opening date was planned to coincide with the San Francisco
World’s Fair.
Summer
Truman Cook, age 22, of Portland, Oregon arrives at Crater Lake
to work for the Lodge Company. He reports that the only motor
boat on the lake was a 16 foot boat with a 3 hp inboard
motor. The boat was stored in the boat house on Wizard Island
and was operated by the 16 year old son of the concession
manager during the season. In the boat house was a half
completed 36 foot boat. With the help of a house carpenter,
Truman completes the boat. The 300 pound engine is skidded down
from the Rim and installed on Wizard Island. When launched, the
boat becomes the second motorized boat on the Lake and the first
boat capable of carrying 20 passengers.
1914
Summer
A.C. Allen of Medford shoots the first successful motion picture
of Crater Lake. According to Allen, most motion picture
photographers of the day did not adjust for the high elevations
and because of this their exposures were off. The scenes Allen
shot of the Lake were included in a 30 minute promotional motion
picture, “Graces Visit To The Rogue River Valley”, which was
shown repeatedly at the Pan American Exposition in San
Francisco, 1914 - 1915.
1914 season
Mr. Mark Daniels of San Francisco, who served as General
Superintendent of the NPS, 1913 to 1915, designed and wore what
was in all probability, the first regular Park Service Uniform.
1911
January
Benjamin Heidel, U.S. highway engineer, Martin Erickson,
Supervisor of the Crater National Forest and Harry Hicks of the
Rogue River Valley University Club of Medford, set out for
Crater Lake. “It is currently stated that no more than ten white
persons have ever gone to Crater Lake in winter.” They start
walking at Eagle Point because of deep slush on the roads. The
group camps the night at a contractor’s camp at Flounce
Rock. The third night is spent at Prospect. Only two trappers
are found in the whole town. The great snow depth requires the
use of snowshoes. Their fourth night is spent at Mill Creek
Ranger Station. They spent the fifth night in 12 feet of snow,
east of Union Creek. The 6th night is spent in relative comfort
in the Superintendent’s house at Annie Spring and the seventh
night is spent at the Rim Hotel, waiting out a raging storm. The
party discovers Barkowski’s photography equipment, but no trace
of the photographer is found. The three men sit out three days
of gale force wind and falling snow. Finally, when the sun
comes, the team is able to take the first winter photographs of
the Lake. Their complete trip takes about 18 days. (Sunset,
March, 1912)
1909
July 20
The first lodging in the Park consists of tent houses on the Rim
(Camp Crater) and at Camp Arant (Anna Springs) there is a small
hotel, store and gas station, built by the Crater Lake Company.
After choosing the site where the Mazamas gathered in 1896,
Steel supplies the funds to begin construction of the Crater
Lake Lodge. (The Lodge of the Imagination.) Work was slow due to
labor disputes, supply problems, and financing difficulties.
Steel plans to have an electric plant available for lighting.
1909 Season
$1,100 spent repairing buildings, roads and purchasing
tools. Forest fires were numerous and damaging in the
surrounding forests. Employees consist of the Superintendent and
one ranger. Problems with campers cutting tree boughs for beds.
Two camps in park. One at Camp Arant, near the Superintendent’s
headquarters and one at Camp Crater on the Rim. Camp Crater
first opened July 20, 1909. 419 persons accommodated at camp
Arant and 125 persons at Camp Crater. 4,171 people registered at
the entrance station. It is estimated that another 900 did not
register.
October 9
First part of the Lodge construction begins on the Rim at a cost
of $75,000. The lodge will contain the largest fireplace in the
state. Main part of the Lodge will be built in 1912.
1907
Charles True claims to have driven the first car to the Rim of
Crater Lake under its own power.
June 6 & 13
Steel and E.D. Whitney establish The Crater Lake Company and the
Klamath Falls Express Co. As the Park’s first concessioner, they
provided transportation for tourists, a tent camp at Annie
Springs and boat tours on the Lake.
July 14
The first motor launch, the Wocus, is placed on the Lake by
William Steel.
July 15
William Steel names Garfield Peak for James R. Garfield,
Secretary of the Interior. Mr. Garfield was the first cabinet
member to visit Crater Lake. The peak is 8060 feet high and is
1883 feet above the lake’ surface. Formerly the peak was known
as Castle Mountain.
Summer
Construction begins on the first phase of the new Crater Lake
Lodge. Estimated that the cost will be about $5,000 and the
construction will be completed in 2 summers.
Summer
Henry E. Momyer becomes the Park’s first park ranger, serving
from 1907 until 1920. Henry died in Klamath Falls in 1928.
from 1908 until 1913
First meals served in the park by Mrs. Jessie B. Momyer, at
Annie Springs, in a log cabin erected for that purpose.
1906
July 12
Construction begins on the first permanent house for the
superintendent at Annie Springs. Torn down about 1935.
September 2
Harry Pelts and three other men claim to be the first men to
drive a car from Klamath Falls to the rim of Crater Lake with a
running time of 6 hours.
Fall
Albert C. Allen of Medford drives a, seven horse power, single
cylinder Olds Curved Dash Runabout, with one seat, steered with
a tiller, and powered by a chain drive into the Park. Allen’s
car is pulled part way by two mules. “When we high-centered
again, with the car nearly tipping over on the badly sliding
raid, I quit. It was bust for me. But I had driven quite a
distance inside the boarders of the park. I was the first one to
drive an automobile inside Crater Lake Park. However, I had
driven the first car into the park and the second on up on the
rim. After that I made the trip often, but few others cared to
attempt the heavy grade to the rim with its three switchback and
where large cars had to back and fill to get around some of the
sharp curves. Soon after this I mentioned to Bill Hodson, owner
of the first garage in Medford, that I intended to drive my new
Thom. right up on Crater Lake rim on a certain day. This gave
Bill an idea for some advertising, so he sent one of his Buicks
up on the rim just the day before I drove my Thomas there.” But
Allen does become the first person to take a motion picture of
the Lake.
W.E. Hodson claims to have driven the first car to the park,
pulled part way by horses. J.O. Shively claims to be the first
auto passenger.
1905
Summer
Medford garage owner, Bill Hudson, claims to be the first to
reach the Rim in his Buick passenger car.
1903
August 11
Fred and Oscar Kiser and Will Steel lower a 16 foot boat over
the rim wall in order to take photographs of the Lake. The
Kisers paddle across the lake to Pumice Castle area and climb
the East Rim, accompanied by Helen Akin and Gertrude
Metcalf. They become the first women to climb Mt. Scott. The
first Lake photographs of the Lake are taken from Mt. Scott. The
whole Lake had never been captured on one photo plate before,
which the Kisers felt was a remarkable accomplishment.
August 5 - 15
Steel brings 27 people to Crater Lake from Medford. This is the
first attempt to provide visitor services at the Lake. The group
had begun at Union Station in Portland and traveled by train to
Medford. A large crowd of locals welcomed the group as their
wagon train set off for their camping rendezvous at Eagle
Point. The group spends five days traveling to Crater Lake. The
boat, the Start, a 16 foot skiff built in Klamath Falls and
launched for the auspicious group’s exclusive use is used to
ferry members of the group out to Wizard Island and over to
Cloud Cap.. After spending ten days visiting points of interest
in and around the Park, including photographing the Lake, and
stopping off at old Fort Klamath, the group broke up at Ashland.
Summer
Fred Kiser of Portland (Scenic America Co.) produces the first
hand colored photos of Crater Lake. The pictures are subjected
to ridicule, for no water was believed to be so blue.
Summer
Prior access to the Lake was gained by using the old Fort
Klamath Military Road (Hwy 62) which forked 1/2 mile west of the
Cascade Divide (Pacific Crest Trail crossing) and following what
is now known as the Dutton Creek Trail. The early trail was
built in 1869 by the Jim Sutton Party of Jacksonville, when they
brought the first wagons to the Rim.
summer
Governor’s Bay is named by Will Steel for the Hon. T.T. Geer,
the first governor of Oregon to see the lake.
1902
June 7
William F. Arant of Klamath Falls is appointed the park’s
first
superintendent with a salary of $900 with a horse expense
account of $100.
1896
August 22
The Lake’s first water gauge is installed by the Mazamas. A
copper pocket is fastened to the upper part of the gauge which
contained a record book in which visitors were asked to note the
height of the water. The gauge was broken off during the
following winter.
Late 1890’s
Josephine Schrinscher, teenager, spends night on Wizard
Island. Claims to be first white lady to do so. (??)
1895
The area’s first plant collection study is begun by Dr. Elmer
Applegate of Stanford.
1888
August
William Steel plants the first fish in the Lake. Steel started
with 200 fingerlings from the Rogue River and ended up planting
37. Steel carried the small tin bucket the entire 49 miles to
Crater Lake because the swaying of the wagon dumped the
water. The water in the bucket was refreshed frequently whenever
he crossed a stream. By 1901, some of the fingerlings had
reached a length of two and a half feet.
1887
July 4
William Steel becomes the first person to successfully
illuminate Mt. Hood with “Red Fire”. The light was seen in
Portland.
1886
July 15
The launching of the boats commences. The first skiff is lowered
into the Lake at 3:00 p.m. and the second by 6:00 p.m.
July
William G. Steel names Dutton Cliff for Captain Clarence E.
Dutton. Captain Dutton had charge of the U.S. Geological Survey
crew, which made the first official survey of the Lake during
the summer of 1886. Kerr Notch is also named for Mark B. Kerr,
chief engineer for the Cleetwood expedition. Kerr, an
Englishman, pronounced his name, “CAR”.
1883
Dr. J.S. Diller begins his first scientific explorations of the
Lake and the area. The first official Lake soundings are made.
1168 soundings show the Lake to be 2008 feet deep. Dr. Diller
names Cloudcap because of its high dome. The Wineglass is named
because of its wineglass shape.
Geologist Everett Hayden assists Dr. Diller in his scientific
explorations. They cut logs and tumble them over the cliffs,
make a raft and paddle over to the Island. Diller discovers the
“back flow” near Cleetwood Cove which bears his name and is the
first to advance the “collapse” of the mountain theory. He
reasons that it was during the draining away of molten lava
through subterranean passages which weakened the support of the
peak and occasioned the ultimate destruction. Diller concludes
that the top of the old volcano must have been engulfed.
1874
August 13
The Britt party has been camping at the Rim for three
days. Britt is ready to give up and leave without a photograph
when suddenly the clouds part, the sun shines through and the
first photograph ever of Crater Lake is taken. During the cold
and windy stay on the Rim, Emil, Peter’s 10 year-old son comes
down with a cough. The party stays on for two more days, takes
more photos, and hikes and explores the area.
1869
July 27
The Jim Sutton party of Jacksonville brings the first wagon
nearly to the Rim of the lake after blazing a four and a half
mile trail. (Great Great Granddaughter, Jackie Wobbe reports
that Capt. Sutton was eventually buried in the Parnkey Cemetery
on Ramsey Road, near Medford.)
August 5
J.B. Coats, James Fay, David Linn, James Sutton and Lt. Thoburn
set out on the lake in a canvas boat. This is probably the
first
boat on the lake. The party estimates the Lake to be 1,500 to
2,000 feet deep after taking two soundings down to 550
feet. (The length of their rope.) Crater Lake is named by James
M. Sutton. At one time the prosaic name of “Hole in the Ground”
was in use, but was fortunately abandoned. The Indian name for
the lake was Glowy’s or Gaywas. The Sutton party attempted to
circumnavigate the lake, and sound it, but due to the fragile
nature of the boat and a strong wind, they were forced to forego
the attempt. One sounding was made a half mile from the
island. Mr. Linn built the boat, which was scow-shaped, 16 feet
long and 3.5 feet wide, at his planning mill in Jacksonville,
but did not put it together until reaching the Rim of Crater
Lake.
The morning of the day that they made their voyage on the Lake,
the men carried the boards down the rugged precipice leading to
the water as there was no marked out trail. Several times, being
encumbered with the boards, they were in imminent danger of
losing their footing and plunging down into the Lake.
1865
August 24
Lt. O.A. Stern, Capt. Sprague and party “reached the bluff
overlooking the lake on the west or southwest side, about 9:00
in the morning of a clear day, and for the first time feasted
our eyes upon what we then pronounced the most beautiful and
majestic body of water we had ever beheld.” Stearns and Peyton
Ford become the first white men to reach the shores of the
lake. A pistol shot by Stearns brings down Sprague and civilian
Coats. Capt. Sprague suggests the name of “Lake
Majesty.” Phantom Ship is discovered by Captain Sprague.
October 9
Annie Gains, for whom Annie Spring and Annie Creek are named,
climbs down to Crater Lake. Miss Gaines, sister-in-law to Major
W. F. Rinehart, Fort Klamath commander, was the first white
woman to reach the waters of the lake. Mrs. O.T. Brown, who was
greater in age, lost the race by a few feet to the 19 year-old
girl. (Brown Springs?) The name “Annie” was incorrectly changed
to “Anna” soon after the Park was established, and was changed
back to “Annie” during the 1930’s. Regardless of the weather or
the season, Annie Springs’ flow remains constant, and the
temperature of its water is always 35 degrees F. This is the
coldest spring in the Park. The Indians called the spring
“PALALX”
