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1923

February 15          1923      Col. Charles G. Thompson named Crater Lake’s new superintendent.  Thompson Creek and Spring named during Thompson’s superintendency by Will Steel.

March 31               1923      Former Superintendent Alex Sparrow leaves the Park for Medford to become a Jackson County Judge. (County Commissioner)

July 20                   1923      Wizard Island proposed as a landing field because of the absence of fog.

July 28                   1923      Richard W. Price appointed as the Park’s 5th Postmaster.

August                   1923      The Park superintendent and rangers spend several days transporting explosives and red-fire to Wizard Island.  At the proper time an impromptu eruption of the volcano was staged for the benefit of Park visitors.  Public talks had been given, where the visitors were told Wizard Island was showing signs of warmth and a genuine eruption could be expected within a few days.

1923      14,000 Cut Throat and 11,000 Steelhead liberated in the Lake.

Two army planes fly over Crater Lake.  They claim to be the first planes to fly over the Lake.

70 foot log boat landing built on the Island.

The Park Superintendent asks for a budget of $35,000.  The whole amount is expected to be appropriated. The superintendent also requests help from the Bureau of Entomology because groups of lodgepole pine in the northern portion of the Park ware being killed by the mountain pine beetle.  Because the dominant tree within the park is lodgepole pine, Col. Thomson predicted that the Park would become, “a windblown, sandy desert without the pines.”  Thus begins a major battle against the Bark Beetle, lasting until 1934.  20,311 trees are eventually treated at a cost of $17,357.  (Boyd Wickman, U.S.F.S)

Park road oil surfacing begins. Completed five years later in 1928.

Season                                  Visitation: 52,017

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