Crater Lake National Park Administrative History

CHAPTER SIX

Active park operations began at Crater Lake National Park soon after passage of the establishing act on May 22, 1902. William F. Arant of Klamath Falls was appointed park superintendent on June 7 (he received official notification of his appointment on October 13) at an annual compensation of $900. In the deficiency appropriation act of July 1, 1902, an allocation of $2,000 was made for the protection and improvement of the park as well as the extension and repair of its roads.

During June 1902 Arant established his first headquarters in the park at Bridge Creek Springs, some six miles from the lake. That month he visited the lake and principal camping places in the park and found large numbers of campers. He reported that no forest fires had been seen, no timber was being cut, and no park property or resources were being destroyed. As a result of conversations with campers and park visitors, Arant observed that there was "a strong sentiment" in "favor of preserving the natural picturesqueness of the reservation" and that all were "generally disposed to protect rather than to destroy." To facilitate visitation to the lake he had surveyed a new five-mile road along the base of Crater Lake Mountain to the rim of the crater, and department officials had approved his plans. [1]

During his first full year as park superintendent Arant took steps to lay out the new road and enforce the rules and regulations of the park. With the help of a surveyor and other hired labor Arant surveyed and located the road during October 28-November 5, 1902, at a cost of $158. The new road followed the general location of the wagon trail blazed earlier in 1869 by the Sutton party. The completion of the survey coincided with the end of the working season as the snow depth levels in the park ranged between a few inches to nearly four feet at that time.

During the winter and spring of 1902-03 Arant made frequent trips through the park, sometimes in ten to twelve feet of snow, to ensure that the park rules prohibiting hunting and trapping were not violated. Arant again established camp in the park on June 18, 1903, as soon as the snow had disappeared from the lower grounds of the park.

Arant purchased a variety of materials and supplies for the operation of the park and the construction and improvement of the park roads in 1903. These purchases included: 21,816 feet of bridge lumber ($175.80); tools, implements, and building supplies ($111.05); Remington standard typewriter ($90); a boat and lumber for a boathouse ($100); and blasting powder ($300).

On June 20, 1903, Arant, with the help of thirteen men and three teams, commenced improvements on the existing main road through the park and hauling lumber for new bridge structures. Three of the worst hills were eliminated and replaced by "good easy grades," and a new 50-foot bridge was constructed across Bridge Creek. The road was "otherwise improved" by "cutting out roots, taking out rocks, leveling up, etc." In addition, the stretch of road in the vicinity of Bridge Creek was improved for a distance of one-fourth mile by "cutting out several short steep hills and a number of very short turns by building a new piece of road" which was "comparatively straight and level."

On July 16 Arant moved his camp to the head of Anna Creek and began work on the new road to the lake, which had been surveyed the previous November. Before the total park appropriation for fiscal year 1904 was exhausted on August 20 a bridge (104 feet long and 30 feet high) was constructed across Anna Creek and two miles of the new road were completed.

After the park's funds were exhausted Arant maintained his camp at the head of Anna Creek. This base camp soon became known as Camp Arant. From the camp Arant "took care of the Government property, visited camps of camping parties in the park, prevented trespasses and violations of the rules, etc." On October 5 he moved his office to his ranch in the vicinity of Klamath Falls, after which he had "a man at the ranch nearest the park, patrolling in the park for the protection of the property and maintenance of the rules."

In his annual report for 1903 Arant observed that five permits had been granted for driving some 4,000 head of stock through the park. Stockmen were interested in using the park road since it was the only thoroughfare through the Cascades in the region. The permits included:

E.E. Sherwood for cattle to be driven to Klamath Marsh, fifty miles east of the park.
E.R. Hannon for cattle to be driven to Wood River Valley, ten miles south of the park.
Pelton brothers for cattle to Wood River Valley, twelve miles south of the park.
Al Melhase, one permit for 2,000 sheep to summer range in Cascade Forest Reserve and one permit for returning them to winter quarters in Wood River Valley, twelve miles south of the park.

Arant reported that the 1903 tourist season at Crater Lake extended from July 10 to October 1. Some people, however, continued to visit the park after October 1.

As part of his annual report Arant submitted a list of improvements that he considered necessary "to the best interests and management of the park." These improvements, which would "add very materially to the attractiveness and convenience and better management of the park," required that an appropriation of $6,695 be made for the park in fiscal year 1905. The list of such projects read:

In his annual report for 1904 Arant observed that he continued to maintain a patrol in the park from mid-October to November 18, 1903, for the protection of government property and enforcement of park regulations. On the latter date the snow became so deep "that any kind of travel or existence in the park was entirely impracticable." After closing the work for the season Arant continued to make occasional trips "to and in the vicinity of the park" during the winter months. On June 1, 1904, the snow was solid enough to walk on so Arant made a trip "from the south line to the central portion of the park." He found the snow depths to be between four to twelve feet along the roads and approximately fifteen to eighteen feet at the lake and in the higher elevations.

On July 6, the snow having receded from the lower lands of the park, Arant established his "usual first camping place at Bridge Creek Springs, on the south slope of the mountain." With five men and two teams he began improvements on the road from the south line of the park to the head of Anna Creek as well as on the road at Whitehorse that led from western Oregon to Crater Lake.

From mid-August until the end of October Arant supervised construction of the new road to the lake, using eight men and two teams. By the close of the working season the road had been completed to within one mile of the lake. Ten bridges, ranging in length from 16 to 104 feet, were built across the streams that descended from the springs at the base of Crater Lake Mountain.

At the beginning of the 1904 summer season Arant found all park property, including tools, implements, lumber, and the boat "to be in a good state of preservation and ready for use." It was Arant's belief that this was the first time a boat had survived a winter at Crater Lake, although the boathouse, except for the foundation, had been swept away.

During 1904 no applications were made for driving stock through the park. One small herd of cattle had been found trespassing on park lands, however, and its removal was required immediately. The only stock that had passed through the park was that associated with visitors to the park. While there was no park visitor register Arant estimated the number of visitors during July-September to be 1,200 to 1,500. The summer season having been dry, several forest fires had started but were extinguished before any significant damage was done to the timber or grass lands.

Since Congress had appropriated only $3,000 for the park during fiscal year 1905, Arant reported in September 1904 that this "amount was entirely inadequate to a good administration of the affairs of the park, and entirely insufficient for making anything like the necessary improvements during one season." Accordingly, he again prepared a list of projects, totaling $7,918, that should be carried out in 1906 to enhance the attractiveness of the park and promote better management of its resources.

Three of these budget requests were highlighted by Arant in his annual report. These were the items relating to building a house and barn in the park and making provision for assistance in patrolling the park during the visitation season. Relative to the house and barn he noted that while preparing his annual report there had been

for the past forty-eight hours, and is at the present time, a heavy, cold rain mixed with snow falling, and accompanied by strong south wind, making it most disagreeable living in tents, and also making it desperately uncomfortable for the horses and teams kept for the work in the park, to say nothing of the danger of their contracting pneumonia or other disease caused by the great exposure to the storm and cold.

I can not refrain from again saying that I not only recommend, but I earnestly urge upon Congress the great importance of making sufficient appropriation to provide against this unreasonable condition.

Concerning the need for patrol assistance, he observed:

Owing to the fact that during the summer months the entire time of the superintendent is required in superintending the improvements and other affairs of the park, as there is danger at any time of destructive fires breaking out--and these fires do start every summer- -and as there is more or less of trespassing in stock grazing upon the park lands, and as it is very difficult, almost impossible, to restrain some people from cutting green timber in the park, it is deemed absolutely necessary that there should be at least two patrolmen in the park from the 15th of June to the 15th of October, 1905, to attend to those matters above specified. Sixty dollars per month each would be reasonable compensation for such services . . . . [3]

The story of operations at Crater Lake National Park continued much the same in fiscal year 1905. During the winter of 1904-05 several steps were taken to protect government property against the elements. Flooring from all the bridges was removed to allow the snow to fall through the bridge frames to the ground, thus preventing the bridges from being broken down by the snow. All tools and implements were hauled "to a safe place 14 miles from the park and securely housed for the winter."

A post office was established at the head of Anna Creek when the summer season opened on July 1, 1905. This was done at the request of the Department of the Interior to accommodate the needs of visitors and campers in the park.

On August 19 the road from the head of Anna Creek to the rim of the lake was completed. The road was described as "a comfortable one to travel over, being of easy grade, the steepest of which is 10 percent, smooth and as straight as it was practicable to make it." After its completion there was "very little, if any, travel over the old road to the lake." [4]

Work on a new road from Whitehorse to Anna Creek Bridge was commenced in mid-August. Only one place on this road had as steep a grade as ten percent, while parts of the old road over the steep summit which the road would replace had grades of more than fifteen percent.

The dry summer season of 1905 resulted in a large number of "almost uncontrollable forest fires" in the park. The fires, all of which were started by lightening strikes, were prevented from causing considerable damage by daytime as well as nighttime fire fighting efforts. The worst day for fires occurred on July 20 when an electrical storm triggered eight fires within the space of twenty minutes.

Arant estimated that 1,200-1,400 persons visited the park between July 1 and October 1, 1905. Parties of visitors and campers continued to enter the park through the early part of October.

Pursuant to the rules and regulations of the park fishing in Crater Lake was prohibited by Arant until July 1905. At that time an open season was created by a rule formulated by the superintendent:

Fishing with hook and line only is allowed in Crater Lake from July 1st to September 30th of each year, the catch of each fisherman being limited to five fish in any one day. Fishing in all other waters of the reserve is allowed under the regulations prescribed by the State laws.

It should be borne in mind that the territory embraced within the boundaries of the Crater Lake National Park, owing to its high and mountainous character, and its distance from the settled valleys and the consequent lack of any improvements prior to its being made a national park, and in view of the very small appropriations which have been made for its protection and improvement, is still in a very primitive condition, and that if more liberal appropriations were made in the beginning, to the end that we might be able to make the most absolutely necessary improvements, then smaller appropriations would be sufficient to make the necessary repairs and maintain a good administration of the affairs of the reserve. [5]

As winter weather set in during late October 1905 Arant moved his camp to a ranch at the foot of Crater Lake Mountain referred to as the "Boothby place." From there he continued to patrol the park until November 18 when the depth of the snow became so deep that travel was impossible. Thereafter, he moved to his winter quarters at his ranch near Klamath Falls, from which he made periodic visits to the park as weather conditions permitted.

On July 1, 1906, a regular mail service was established between Fort Klamath and Crater Lake. The first trip with the mail was made on July 4 "with great difficulty on account of the snow remaining yet deep in places and there being a great many fallen trees and logs in the road."

Construction began on the park office and residence on July 24 and was virtually completed by October 1. By the latter date the superintendent and his family had moved into the residence and were "quite comfortably situated, as compared with the very long term they have had camping while superintending the affairs of the park."

In his annual report for 1906 Arant estimated that park visitation for the season was between 1,600 and 1,800. The most heavily visited spot in the park was Victor Rock, a spot that posed problems for visitor safety. In this regard Arant stated:

A short distance inside the crater, 8 or 10 rods below the rim, there is a high promontory of rock, called Victor Rock, where nearly all visitors go for a good view of the lake and surrounding country. At the summit of this rock and where many people congregate it is rough and craggy and some parts of it slope or incline toward the lake. Below this summit and toward the lake the walls are vertical--in fact it hangs over for almost 1,000 feet above the water. This is one of the most prominent and probably most frequented points on the crater rim, and owing to the character of this rock, or promontory of rock, there is more or less danger of accident or even loss of life, and as a protection against danger to those who congregate at this point there should be a strong iron railing placed along the outer edge of this rock. . . .

In October 1906 Arant described the condition of the four roads and three trails in the park. The road from the south boundary of the park to the Crater Lake post office at Anna Spring was in "fairly good condition for travel" as was the road from the post office to the rim of the lake. Both roads needed widening and smoothing out, and some bridges required extensive repairs. The old road to the rim of the lake was in poor condition, but it was "very little traveled." When the new road to Whitehorse was completed, there would be no reason for its maintenance. The road from the west line of the reserve toward the crater was not in good condition and required substantial and permanent improvements. Arant observed further in regard to the matter of road improvements :

. . . It is proper to state that in the spring of each year the roads are found to be washt out in many places, and deep ruts are cut by the heavy rains and waters of the melting snows and obstructed by fallen trees, logs, stones, and brush, and the repairing alone requires a considerable amount of labor. In many places the roads are in bad condition by being partially overgrown by brush, which should be cut away and the roads otherwise improved.

Of the three principal trails in the park the one leading from the rim of the crater down to the water's edge was the most heavily used. The trail was

very steep! crooked, and in many places dangerous, so much so that only the stronger individuals are able to make the descent and ascent, and many are thus deprived of the pleasures of the trip to the water. A trip down into the crater to the lake is one of the chief attractions of a visit to the park, and it is urgently necessary that better facilities for making this trip be provided.

A climb down and up over this trail when it is at its best is as hard a climb as people are able to make, but nearly all visitors and tourists in the park are disappointed if they do not make this trip; and it will require a considerable amount of work and expense to put it in only fairly good and safe condition. It should be widened out and straightened, and in many places steps should be cut in the stone and hard earth, and a small, strong cable should be stretched along the trail on the lower side to make it safe and to assist in climbing down and up the crater wall. . . .

The other two trails, one leading along the rim of the crater and the other to Bybee Creek, were little used but required improvements. [6]

Concession visitor services were provided at Crater Lake for the first time in 1907 as a result of efforts initiated by Steel. In April he wrote of his plans in Steel Points:

For many years we have tried to induce some one to establish hotels and other accommodations at Crater Lake, but without success. When a National park was created renewed efforts were put forth to accomplish the purpose, but with no better results. While in Washington City recently, the matter was taken up with the Secretary of the Interior, and a plan outlined to accomplish the end in view. These plans will require the entire time and attention of some one whose heart is in the work. This is exactly what we have been endeavoring to avoid, but many friends have urged us to take it up, and after mature deliberation we have decided to do so, relying implicitly on the interest and loyalty of the commercial bodies and citizens generally of Southern Oregon for support.

As soon as final authority is received from the Government, steps will be taken to form a corporation, and an immediate canvas will be made for stock subscriptions. With that end in view we will visit Jackson, Josephine and Klamath Counties, and will not stop with the getting of stock subscriptions, but will personally see that the work in the park is done in a creditable manner. What is accomplished in the way of improvements will depend entirely on the amount of money realized by the sale of stock. One thing is certain. Permanent camps must be established this year, and they must be comfortable and clean. Food must be well cooked and well served, and rowboats must be placed on the lake. During the present season plans must be matured for improvements next year, and the money must be in sight to meet expenses. At least one building must be constructed this year to house the property in Winter, and also a shelter for the boats. Water must be brought to the camp at once, and in permanent form. Next year at least one first-class naphtha launch must be placed on the lake, and the construction of buildings must be actively under headway. Within a very few years railroads will be in the vicinity of the park, and facilities for the accommodation of guests will be taxed to their utmost capacity, and Crater Lake will divide honors with Yellowstone and Yosemite for tourist trade. [7]

After considerable lobbying by Steel the Department of the Interior authorized and licensed him to personally conduct camping parties from the railroad terminus at Klamath Falls to various tent camps within the park from May 1 to November 30, 1907, using wagons, carriages, or other suitable conveyances. He was also permitted to maintain permanent camps on sites designated by the park superintendent. [8]

On May 22, 1907, articles of incorporation of the Crater Lake Company were filed with the Oregon Secretary of State. Its incorporators were Steel (president and principal owner), who had recently closed his real estate business in Portland, Charles L. Parrish, and Lionel Webster. This company, holding 250,000 shares of stock, acquired the rights granted by the Department of the Interior to Steel, the privileges to extend for five years. Other privileges in the future were expected to include the construction and maintenance of hotels and pleasure resorts, placement of boats on the lake, commencement of stage lines to the park, and sale of assorted merchandise.

By the end of July 1907 a tent city had been established by Steel on the rim of Crater Lake, accommodating fifty people. At this camp visitors could obtain meals and feed for their horses. A site for the company s future hotel was chosen "on the divide over which the road from Klamath reaches the lake's brim." A spring "on the mountain side above" would furnish water for the hotel. Plans were formulated by the company to build "an elevator down the precipice leading to the water's edge, so that tourists can avoid taking the 1,500-foot climb from the water to the hotel."

By August some thirty tourists were visiting the lake daily and taking their meals at Steel's camp, but sleeping accommodations were so limited that most of them were unable to spend the night. As a result of the limited services, however, visitation increased to 2,600 for the season, the highest recorded number to date.

Arant also made improvements in the park during 1907 to enhance the visitors' experiences. The trail leading to the water's edge was repaired, and trails to Glacier Peak and Mount Scott were planned, with the latter being opened before the end of the summer. [9]

Congressional appropriations for Crater Lake had ranged between $2,000 and $3,000 per year from 1902 to 1907, thus hampering park development and effective administration of the reservation's resources. In 1908, however, the park received an appropriation of $7,315, a figure close to the annual requests Arant had been submitting for several years. With these funds the superintendent was able to initiate a number of park improvements designed to enhance the quality of the visitors' experiences in the park and contribute to more effective management of the reservation.

Arant used the increased appropriation to hire H.E. Momyer of Klamath Falls as the first seasonal park ranger in August 1907. Momyer would work as a seasonal ranger for the next eight summers until 1915 when he received appointment as the first permanent ranger in the park.

The increased appropriation enabled Arant to make some of the improvements in the park that he had been advocating for several years. These projects included installation of a hydraulic ram for pumping water to the superintendent's office and residence and digging a ditch to carry off the waste water from the ram for irrigating the surrounding grounds. Two temporary structures were erected for the use of workmen, some twenty miles of roads and trails were improved, the barn, which had been damaged by wind or lightning, was repaired, and two miles of fence were constructed to enclose pasture and meadow lands. The roofs of the park buildings were renovated with three-fourths pitch in order that snow could slide off rather than pile up and crush them. This roof innovation was important in that average annual snow depth levels had been found to reach 6-8 feet at the south boundary of the park and 12-20 feet in the vicinity of Anna Spring.