Historic Resource Study, Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, 1984

X. Construction of Government Buildings and Landscaping in Crater Lake National Park

 

N. Emergency Conservation Work Camps

   3. Work Accomplished

More ECW people were requested in 1934 to construct storage sheds in the utility area at Government Camp and complete the outpost ranger cabins. [58] From 1934 to 1936 a one-story, one-room checking station was built at the old Diamond Lake junction. It was demolished in May 1959. Storage equipment sheds in the warehouse area were finished by October 1934. The wood was stained and, because it was feared that the roofing paper specified would be torn during snow removal, permission was granted to apply shakes over the paper. Illustration 54 shows two of these sheds. The others were grouped about the enclosure forming a rectangle. Only one of the two double garages originally planned was built, and it was also finished at this time. The rocks used were smaller than on some of the other buildings so as to conform to the rockwork in the nearby houses (see Illustration 55). Almost completed were additions to the mess hall and warehouse, which still required interior finishes when more funds could be acquired. [59] The new government messhall that was begun in 1929 and completed in 1931 could accommodate 100 employees. In the construction season, however, if often had to serve between 150 and 250 employees. The prospect of employing large numbers of men on Emergency Public Works program projects during these years had necessitated extension of the building to accommodate eighty more people.

The old warehouse had been too small to adequately care for park storage needs. It had been proposed to extend the building twenty feet on each end to provide additional storage space for provisions, supplies, and building materials. As finished, in addition to a wing on either end, a larger platform was built across the entire front (see Illustration 56). Concerning the status of projects at the close of 1935, the superintendent stated that four employee cottages were complete, as were one comfort station, the mess hall, and a woodshed. [60]

In the summer of 1936 one ECW camp was maintained in the park, with two more scheduled for the summer of 1937. Several enrollees were engaged at the end of 1936 in building employee cottages and in aiding in the remodeling of portions of the lower floor of the park mess hall/dormitory. [61] The new Administration Building was occupied in mid-June 1936, eliminating the former seriously crowded and temporary summer quarters. The Ranger Dormitory, begun in 1932 but left uncompleted because of a lack of funds, was finally finished in 1936 after considerable remodeling and repair. Work on three employees’ cabins was begun that year in the Sleepy Hollow section near park headquarters by Civilian Conservation Corps personnel. In 1937 three more cabins were built there. [62] Also under construction was a large comfort station in the Rim Village area.

The following structures were completed from 1933 to 1937, a period of heavy construction activity in many of our national parks:

four employees’ cabins (temporary)–two-room housekeeping cabins with exterior wood siding and shake roofs in area immediately south of Government Camp utility area. [63] Replaced tent quarters used by per diem married employees (Illustration 57 shows the type of cabin constructed, although these have been modified somewhat in terms of roofing and window placement from the original design).

two comfort stations–one in Government Camp housekeeping unit and the other in Lost Creek Campground

warehouse addition, Government Camp

mess hall addition, Government Camp

administration building, Government Camp

combination woodshed and garage, Government Camp

During the season of July 1 to October 15, 1938, two CCC camps were located in the park, at Annie Spring and at Lost Creek. From June 15 to June 30, 1939, there was only one camp in the park and no major building construction took place. From July 1 to October 15, 1939, again only one CCC camp was located in the park to perform landscaping, road maintenance, fire fighting, fish planting, and clean-up. Although there was no major construction, three park employees’ cottages in the staff cabin area were nearly completed, as was the public comfort station at the rim. [64]

 

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