There are practically no roads inside the Park, except for the old Fort Klamath -- Medford Road, constructed by the soldiers of the fort. Travel to the Lake is entirely by trail. Between 1903 in 1912, a narrow, steep and tortuous road is constructed to the Rim of the Lake by the Interior Department.

Governor's Bay is named by Will Steel for the Hon. T.T. Geer, the first governor of Oregon to see the Lake.

Summer 1903

Joaquin Miller, poet laureate of Oregon, spends several days camping on the Rim. Miller writes the "Sea of Silence" ... ""The Lake to such a hold of my heart, unlike other parks... I love it almost like one of my family.."

Summer 1903

Prior access to the Lake was gained by using the old Fort Klamath Military Road (Hwy 62) which forked 1/2 mile west of the Cascade Divide (Pacific Crest Trail crossing) and following what is now known as the Dutton Creek Trail. The early trail was built in 1869 by the Jim Sutton party of Jacksonville, when they brought the first wagons to the Rim.

Season 1903

Visitation for ithe year estimated at 1200 visitors, 4000 head of cattle are transported through the Park. Superintendent's salary is set at $1000, with the parks total budget at $6,695.

1904

Superintendent Arant asks the NPS for funds to build a visitors registration building near the future Kiser Studio but limited funds and road building activity dictated the building to be built at Annie Springs.

In August 1904

The Frestone Family, including six children from Talent, spend one month traveling to and from Crater Lake. They approached the Lake by the trail that came up behind the present lodge. The trail was his one-way wagon trail. One of the older boys would ride up to the top or ride to the bottom and fire a shot signaling the trail was empty and opened for travel. Wagons on the way down from the Rim would tie a log to the back to serve as a drag. The group had to be self-sufficient. The wagon was pulled by a team of horses and an extra or one was brought along as a saddle horse and to be used to help the wagon up steep hills. Lots of food was included, but the family also hunted and fished along the way to supplement the supplies. While camping near the Lake, Mr. Firestone was approached by a young doctor's wife from San Francisco, who wanted to buy some local Indian artifacts. She had some beads and trinkets from San Francisco and her husband hired Mr. Firestone to take them to trade. They came to an Indian house. The older Indians lived in teepees in the back yards of the government houses where the younger Indians lived. The doctors wife got to dickering with a young squaw on the porch. The Indian girl had been a way to school, so was rather knowledgeable and said, "Don't want any of your junk. I can go to San Francisco and get it is cheap as you do."

After camping at Anna Springs, the Firestone's went onto Whiskey Creek below Huckleberry Mountain, to pick of a supply of huckleberries. Lots of Indians were picking berries and selling them for 50 cents a gallon. Often the Indians would approach toursists in the Rim area can offer to sell berries for money. (Story from Dr. Wayne Linn of SOSC of Ashland)

Season visitation: 1,500 est.

1905

August 19, 1905

A barely passable road to the Rim from Anna Springs is completed, following the route of present-day Raven Ski Trail.

Summer 1905

The name, Mt. McLaughlin, adopted by a resolution of the Oregon Legislature, also by the Oregon Geographic Board, and the United States Geographic Board. The Mountain was once named Mt. Jackson by the British, and the locals knew it both as Snowy Butte and Mt.Pitt. (see 1835)

Construction began zoning new park office and superintendent dwelling at Anna Springs. Superintendent Arant has lived in a tent for three summers.

Chauncey Nye's son is employed as a Park Ranger. Chauncey's grandson, Waldo Nye, eventually marries William Arant's grand-daughter.

Summer 1905 Medford garage owner, Bill Hudson, claims to be the first to reach the rim in his Buick passenger car.

September 1905

Suggestion is made than Annie Creek, because of its "large size", the renamed Crater River.

Seasoned and visitation: 1,400 est.

1906

July 1, 1906

Regular mail services established between Fort Klamath and the Park.

July 12, 1906

Construction begins on the first permanent house for the superintendent and Annie Springs. Torn down about 1935.

Summer 1906

$600 appropriated to began construction of the Rim Camp Trail to the water. The Superintendent felt the informal one down to Eagle Cove, with cable hand rails, was just two dangerous.

September 2, 1906

Harry Pelts and three other men claimed to be the first men to drive a car from Klamath Falls to the Rim of Crater Lake with a running time of six hours.

Fall 1906

Albert C. Allen of Medford and drives a seven horsepower, single cylinder Olds Curved Dash Runabout, with one seat, steered with a tiller, and powered by a chain drive into the Park. Allen's car is pulled part way by two mules."When we high centered again, with a car nearly tipping over on the badly sliding raid, I quit. It was bust for me. But I had driven quite a distance inside the borders of the Park. I was the first one to drive an automobile inside Crater Lake Park. However, I had driven the first card into the Park and the second on up on the rim. After that I made the trip often, but few others cared to attempt the heavy grade to the rim with its three switch back and where the large cars had to back and fill to get around some of the sharp curves. Soon after this by mentioned to Bill Hudson, owner of the first garage and Medford, that I intended to drive my new Thom. right up on Crater Lake rim on a certain day. This Bill an idea for some advertising, so he sent one of this Buicks up on the rim just the day before I drove my Thomas there". Allen become the first person to take a motion picture of the Lake.

1906

W.E. Hudson claims to have driven the first car to the Park, pulled part way by horses. J. O. Shivley claims to be the first auto passenger.

Season Visitation: 1,800 est.

1907

Will Steel starts movement to secure$250,000 for construction of a road from Medford to Klamath Falls, via Crater Lake.

1907

Charles True claims to have driven the first car to the Rim of Crater Lake under its own power.

Jan. 21, 1907

In a letter than to Supt. W. F. Arant, Will Steel pleads his case for being allowed to place tour boats on Crater Lake. He reminds the superintendent that " there would not now be such a thing as the Crater Lake National Park if it had not been for me... Personally I am not able to pay for the establishment of hotels and boats but feel ... the citizens of Oregon will support me...I object seriously to this privilege being let out to someone with no feeling in the matter beyond simply making money out of it. I want to see at least one electro vapor launch on Lake, capable of carrying from thrity to forty persons, and much smaller boats as may be necessary.(The boat would be a modern-day triumph of design: forty feet long, seven feet 8 inches beam, draw 30 inches of water and be filled with a 10 horsepower motor. It would run nine miles per hour and with campchairs, seat 45 persons. Plans provided that it the sealed with Cypress, all copper fastened, and paneled in solid mahogany.) I also want a hotel established at or near Annie Creek Springs, suitable for visitors who are unable to pay high rates, and another on the rim of the Lake capable of carrying on a high class tours trade. Fancy buildings are not as necessary as cleanliness, comfort, conveniences, good food well cooked and properly served. I would not aim to construct all the buildings the first year... I would insist on pure water being brought from an elevation to the this hotel... It would cost $2000 to $2500 to place a proper launch on the Lake..." A total of $5000 for the hotel building, tents, bedding and support buildings..."If the Department will grant me the privilege of establishing and maintaining hotels and boats in the Park... I will do all that is called for..."

March 4, 1907

Congress eliminates the President's power to add public land to National Forests. However, in the few days before the bill was to become law, Roosevelt, with frantic work by Pinchot and his staff, completed the establishment of an additional 16 million acres of forest reserves, known as the "midnight reserves". The same piece of legislation changed the designation "forest reserves" to "national forest" because Pinchot wanted to show that the federal forest were for use and not just reserve or preserved (Williams, 1991)

May 1907

Will Steel organizes the Crater Lake Company in Portland the stock valued at $250,000. Steel is not a good businessman and never has enough capital to develop or operate his concession.

May 1, 1900

Will Steel authorized to provide transportation to the Park in camping accommodations and a permit is granted to place in gasoline launch and row boats on the lake.

June 6 & 13, 1907

Steel and E.D. Whitney established the Crater Lake Company and the Klamath Falls Express Company. As the parks first concessioner, they provided transportation for tourists, and tent camp at Annie Springs and boat tours on the lake.

July 14, 1907

Tthe first motor launch, the Wocus, is placed on the Lake by William Steel.

July 15, 1907

Williams Steel names Garfield Peak for James R. Garfield, Secretary of the Interior. Mr. Garfield was the first cabinet member to visit the Crater Lake. The peak is 8060 feet high and is 1883 feet above the lake's surface. Formerly the peak was known as Castle Mountain.

Summer 1907

Construction begins on the first phase of the new Crater Lake Lodge. Estimated to the cost will be around $5,000 and the construction will be completed into summers.

Summer 1907

Henry E. Momyer are becomes the parks first Park Ranger, sharing from 1907 until 1920. Henry died in Klamath Falls in 1928.

Summer 1907

Barnes and stables built Anna Springs.

Seasoned visitation: 2,600 est.

1908

May 1908

Owen Wilson writes in "World Work Magazine", down while traveling to Crater Lake he. saw some Indians that had "and air of dignified respectability." Their bones were large, showing evidence of cross-breeding. Other Indians were camped in the mud and were still using dug-out canoes. "And at no time in the world's history could anyone have been dirtier, lazier, or more hopeless looking."

July 1, 1908

Mazama National Forest Reserve established, containing the total drainage of the Rogue River. The name was eventually changed to the Rogue National Forest. Oregon, Umpqua, Cascade and Crater National Forests are also established.

July 10, 1908

"No drinking or bathroom will be permitted upon government lands in the Park".

July 20, 1908

A Lodge-owned auto brings in a camping party of 6 visitors.

August 1908

Violence storm destroys the Lake's gasoline launch, the Wocus.

August 15, 1908

Isaac Skeeters, guide and organizer for the Crater Lake discovery party, dies and is buried in the Laurel Cemetery, Cave Junction, Oregon.

1908 Season

Plans are drawn up to extend the Park into the surrounding lower elevations.

From 1908 until 1913

The average annual variation of the lake level is placed at only 1.55 feet.

"No grazing is allowed in Crater Lake. There is authority for permitting cattle to remove sections of the Park where such pastureage of livestock would not interfere with the use of the Park by visitors. However, we have felt that the whole area of the Park was greatly over grazed before becoming a Park and resulted in the destruction of the flora of the region." (Stephen Mather)

Sell Head - named by William G. Steel for the Indian deity of the planes, or the Klamath god of the Klamath Marsh.

First meals served in the Park by Mrs. Jesse B. Momyer, and Annie Springs, in a log cabin erected for that purpose.

Winter 1908 - 1909

Park buildings collapse because of the winters snow load and are eventually rebuilt.

Will Steel convinces Congress to appropriate $10,000 to begin building roads into the Park. The money was spent through the seasons of 1910 and 1911. The total cost of proper roads was estimated at $700.000.

Seasoned visitation: 5,275

1909

March 23, 1909

A photographer traveling with the Southern Pacific farm demonstration train says, "Oregon's greatest resource, the one thing that will make and keep her world famous, is Crater Lake."

The first lodging in the Park consist of tent houses on the Rim (Camp Crater) and it Camp Arant (Annie Springs) there is a small hotel, store and gas station, built by the Crater Lake Company. After choosing the site were the Mazamas gathered in 1896, Steel supplies the funds to begin construction of the Crater Lake Lodge. (The Lodge of the imagination.) Work was slow due to labor disputes, supply problems, and financing difficulties. Steel plans to have an electric plant available for lighting.

July 25, 1909

The Medford Mail Tribune reports that snow has finally disappeared from the road to Crater Lake and travel there will soon begin. "Visitors this year will probably exceed last years record of 5,000". Workmen are installing wooden pipes for the new Rim water system bringing up water from Munson Springs.

August 21, 1909

A telegraph line has been installed from the developing Rim Village area to Park Headquarters at Annie Springs.

Season 1909

$1,100 spent repairing buildings, roads and purchasing tools. Forest fires were numerous and damaging in the surrounding forests. Employees consist of the Superintendent and one ranger. Problems with campers cutting tree bows for beds. Two camps in Park. One at Camp Arant, knew the Superintendent's headquarters and one at Camp Crater on the Rim. Camp Crater first opened July 20, 1909. 419 persons accommodated at Camp Arant and 125 persons and Camp Crater. 4,171 people registered at the entrance station. It is estimated that another 900 did not register.

Administration building and a ranger's cabin built and Anna Springs.

Steel goes before Congress seeking $10,000 with which to make a preliminary survey of a system for roads for the Park, which is soon secured. The survey work was completed in 1912.

Seasoned Visitation: 4,171

(Next stop 1910)