TIME LINE
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(Before
Recorded
History)
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2,000 years ago a volcanic
eruption creates the
Broken Top Flow.
The Shoshone build rock rings at
Indian Tunnel.
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1805
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Lewis and Clark cross northern
Idaho enroute to the Pacific Ocean. |
1831
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Lewis and Clark expedition member,
Jean Baptiste Charboneau, gets
separated from a brigade of fur trappers
and nearly perishes trying to cross the
Snake River Plain from south to north. |
1833
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Army Captain Benjamin Bonneville explores
the area with instructions to report back
his findings to the War Department. |
1862
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Tim Goodale leads 1,095 emigrants and
338 wagons across a cutoff of the Oregon
Trail that came to bear his name. |
1901
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Israel (I.C.) Russell with the Geological
Survey explores the area and provides the
first geologic description of what he calls
the Cinder Buttes. |
1920
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Robert Limbert hikes the entire length of
the Great Rift and widely promotes the
region for status as a national park. |
1923
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Harold Stearns, a geologist, describes the
area as the most recent example of a
fissure eruption in this country and recommends
it be preserved as a national monument. |
1924
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Limbert's article "Among the Craters of the Moon"
is published in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE.
President Calvin Coolidge signs a proclamation
creating Craters of the Moon National Monument.
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1925
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First custodian Samuel Paisley constructs the
first visitor center near Registration Waterhole
and receives a salary of $12 per year.
1926 visitation=4,600 |
1927
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Waterholes that supplied water to the monument
dry up following a series of earthquakes and water
has to be hauled in for four years.
A troop of Boy Scouts discovers
Boy Scout Cave.
The Craters Inn and several cabins are
built for the convenience of visitors.
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1931
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A waterline supplying water from springs in the
north end of the monument to the
campground and headquarters building completed. |
1956
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The Mission 66 Program initiates construction
of today's road system, visitor
center, shop, campround and comfort station.
1956 visitation=100,000
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1959
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The Craters of the Moon Natural History Association
formed to assist the monument
in educational activities. |
1962
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Addition of an island of vegetation completely
surrounded by lava known as
Carey Kipuka increases the size of the
monument by 5360 acres. |
1967
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Study of mule deer completed. |
1969
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NASA astronauts Alan Shepherd, Edgar Mitchell,
Eugene Cernan, and Joe Engle
explore the monument while training to
visit the moon. |
1970
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Congress creates the Craters of the Moon Wilderness,
the first such designation within
the National Park Service. |
1983
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Mt. Borah earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9
felt at the monument but does little damage. |
1992
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Dedication of first totally accessible trail
at Devils Orchard |
1993
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Guided walks and programs attended
by over 12,000 visitors. |
1994
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Visitor center lawns removed to eliminate the attraction that was causing deer to be killed while crossing the highway.
1995 visitation=237,000 |
1997
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New exhibits installed in visitor center.
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1999
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75th Anniversary Celebration. |
2000
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Monument expanded to include all of the Great Rift Zone. Cooperative management initiated with the Bureau of Land Management.
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