During the summers of 1934 and 1935 the park administrative officers were quartered in the recently completed Ranger Dormitory pending completion of the new Administration Building. These years also witnessed an effort by Klamath Falls to have the park winter headquarters transferred there from Medford. In 1935, for instance, Superintendent Canfield observed that favorable “arguments and data, for years in the embryonic stage, are approaching crystallization in Klamath Falls’ bid to have the park offices transferred there.” He noted, however, that it was “possible that at the last moment the formal request will never be made because of enmity that might be incurred.” [52]
By 1936 the issue of moving the winter headquarters office from Medford to Klamath Falls had lessened in intensity. Canfield noted wistfully that the “maintenance of a branch office” in Klamath Falls would “take care of the situation no doubt for some time to come.” [53] The following year Canfield reported wryly that “an old ambition” of Klamath Falls “to eventually move park headquarters there from Medford has been kept in bounds by advice from the park superintendent.” [54]
The new Administration Building was completed in the autumn of 1935 and park personnel moved their summer offices into the structure in June 1936. Superintendent Canfield noted happily that the building “can be regarded as one of the most modern in any of the parks,” and he observed that the “new headquarters supply sufficient room for park administrative activities, eliminating crowded conditions which had been such a handicap for years.” According to the superintendent park visitors were favorably impressed by the structure and the remark was commonly heard that “the Government is giving the taxpayers something substantial for tax money.” [55]
Canfield continued to be pleased with the new Administration Building. In 1937 he observed:
The novelty of having adequate space to carry on park business had not yet disappeared at the end of the year, crowded conditions of previous years and rat-infested quarters in a decrepit log building still being too fresh in memory. Park visitors still continue to be impressed with the dignified architecture of the building and as in the first year are frequent in complimentary expressions. [56]
As the national economy slowly recovered from the Great Depression the Crater Lake staff increased. In 1937, five additional permanent employees were added to the park payroll. [57] In March 1938 Thomas C. Parker was transferred from his position as assistant superintendent-engineer in Zion National Park to assistant superintendent at Crater Lake. This position was created to enable the superintendent not only to administer the park but also oversee Oregon Caves and Lava Beds national monuments. [58]
