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Introduction

SIGNIFICANCE AND INTEGRITY

Four areas or zones at Rim Village have distinct historic character and specific landscape resources that contribute to the overall design significance: the promenade and associated features, including the parapet wall, the crosswalks, the planting beds, and the overall configuration of the groundplane; the lodge, including the plaza (parking and entry) on the south side of the building, the terrace and walls on the north side, and all plantings associated with these features; the historic campground area, including the forest itself, the roads, comfort stations, paths, individual sites and vistas; and the cafeteria plaza including the stone comfort stations and the predominant open space on the north side of the structure. Collectively, these areas define the overall spatial organization of Rim Village and retain a high level of landscape integrity.

In addition, throughout Rim Village, several historic patterns of land use and overall design associated with these areas remain evident today. The promenade, for example, was always a relatively formal area, with clearly delineated pedestrian systems and planted areas designed to direct traffic, orient the visitor, and provide a series of "naturalistic" relationships between the open spaces and more discrete gathering areas along the rim. This area was also the primary system linking features throughout the village and was, from the time it was built, the area where visitor activity was concentrated. Over the years changes and modifications to individual features as well as intensive visitor use along the promenade have, to different degrees, impacted the original design. This is especially evident in the areas west of the Kiser Studio and in front of the Cafeteria where many plant materials are in poor condition or have been lost altogether; where rock walls have been rebuilt in a less than sympathetic manner; and where wood fences have been erected that are inappropriate in the context of the historic design. In spite of these changes, the majority of individual features are remarkably intact and the promenade as a whole retains a very high degree of landscape integrity.

In contrast to the "formal" design of the promenade, the area south of Rim Village Road sweeping up to the campground was more informal, with fewer hard surfaces and fewer spaces with rigidly defined borders. It primarily functioned as a transition zone and boundary between the promenade and the campground zones, with Rim Village Road the boundary feature.

The campground, located on the hill south of the rim, was designed within the mature and "somber" hemlock forest. As one of the first areas developed at Rim Village, the campground was reconfigured several times before an overall design was implemented in the 1930s Although not "formal" in terms of highly articulated spaces, the campground was designed with very specific spatial characteristics that remain today. Individual sites, for example, were located in response to the natural topography and in relation to access roads, the comfort stations, and each other, assuring privacy, views, and comfortable access. In addition, in terms of scale, orientation, and facilities, each individual site in the area was designed with a degree of uniformity which created a distinct landscape. Although the function of this area has changed from overnight camping to day-use and picnicking, the significant design and landscape character remains.

The Cafeteria area has undergone many physical changes, but the general patterns of land use remain as originally conceived. It remains the primary arrival point for visitors to Rim Village, and continues to function as the area from which most people disperse. Although the building itself has been significantly altered and the area designated for parking has increased substantially, parking has always been located in front of the Cafeteria. The open character of this plaza is equally significant in the context of the historic landscape.

The landscape associated with the Crater Lake Lodge also retains a high degree of overall integrity in design and function. The plaza and planting areas on the south side of the building continue to function as the arrival/entry focus for the lodge, and although the plant materials are in poor condition, the original lay-out and organization of spaces is intact. Planting beds on the south and west side are also intact and plant materials in these areas are also original. The terrace wall on the north side of the building has collapsed and planting beds have been changed over the years due to visitor impacts and harsh microclimate conditions. These areas, as well as the service area on the east side of the building, are generally in poor repair but do not undermine the overall design integrity of this area. Rim Village, as a whole, is a significant designed historic landscape that reflects the essential philosophies, design character, and individual components of the NPS Rustic style as implemented at the site between 1927 and 1941.