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

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

 

M. Landscaping

   1. Rim Area

Related to the advances made in constructing buildings to harmonize with the environment was an attempt to integrate landscaping into the park’s long-term development. As mentioned earlier in this report, in 1927 several important decisions on the future development of Crater Lake had been made. The general plan for rim area development called for an asphalt trail along the rim the full length of the Village area, restoration of the soil between this walk and the revetment with natural grasses and wildflowers, and construction of a parking lot area alongside an oiled road. [51]

Before the road from the cafeteria to the lodge was built, motorists had parked anywhere along the rim. This practice, combined with the sandy soil, made the area between the road and rim an unattractive wasteland. During 1928 the rim area was opened at the west by a new road to the rim. A new oiled drive led to the new cafeteria and cabin group, the campground, and the lodge at the end of a one-half-mile-long plaza. On each side of the road a parking strip was provided for several hundred cars. Naturalization was accomplished beginning in 1930 between the head of the Crater Wall Trail and the plaza, consisting of sodding, planting with shrubs, and seeding with grass and wildflowers. Several paths cutting diagonally through the lawn near the lodge to the rim edge were gravelled.

Still the rim edge suffered because of the lack of walks to direct the traffic flow. During the 1931 season, work began on an eight-foot-wide paved walk of crushed rock along the rim with side walks four to six feet wide branching to various activities, recreation centers, and scenic views. Three thousand feet of masonry parapet wall, serving protective as well as ornamental purposes, was constructed of native stone along the rim trail. In 1932 more of the parapet wall was built, and it was ultimately finished to the foot of Garfield Peak. Two short flights of stone stairs were built near the hotel in connection with this work.

The rim area development plan of 1931 called for constructing stone curbing to replace existing log railings and installing several sidewalks. By the summer of 1932 all the walks proposed in the master plan for the area between the road and promenade were in place, except those immediately west of the hotel. Approximately 1,412 feet of stone curbing were also laid. [52] By October 1934 the rim curb had been placed around the lodge and part way from there to the cafeteria.

Naturalization of the rim area continued during the summer of 1931 and the fall when evergreen trees were planted, crosswalks built between the road and promenade, and shrubbery planted north of the hotel. In 1932 additional planting and sodding was done in the area in front of the Information Bureau and north of the lodge. The entire bank above the trail to Sinnott Memorial was planted and more trees were moved into the rim area. [53] A report on the 1933 season’s Emergency Conservation Work in the park mentioned as completed projects; the stone curb between the road junction and the hotel on the lake side of the road, the stone curb on the inside and outside of the hotel turnaround, laying of a sidewalk near the hotel and across the planting area, construction of a parking area below the turnaround in front of the hotel (75% complete), and installation of the new rim water system. [54]

The landscaped area at the rim now extended from the Information Building (old Kiser Studio) to the lodge, and did much to enhance the scenic value of the area. Planting in the rim area consisted of mountain hemlock and several species of firs. Shrubs planted were pink spiraea, service berry, mountain ash, scoules willow, wavy-leaved alder, mountain red elder, mountain maple, waxy currant, and black and red twinberry. [55]

 

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