Make the most of Crater Lake quarter
Herald and News
Klamath Falls, Oregon
June 02, 2005
Now that everyone’s pretty much vented over the fact that the Crater Lake quarter’s coming out party won’t be at Crater Lake, let’s resolve to make the best of things.
Crater Lake is in Klamath County. We all know that. And having its image on 550 million quarters that are now under production should result in an immense amount of publicity and interest in Oregon’s only national park.
Crater Lake was created by a series of eruptions and the collapse of 12,000-foot Mount Mazama, which left it with a hole in the ground that became the deepest, bluest lake in the United States. It’s 1,932 feet deep, and is surrounded by a rim more than a thousand feet higher.
The park has been undergoing a transformation in recent years and is poised to take advantage of a surge in tourism.
No, the lake hasn’t gotten deeper, nor are the peaks above it any higher.
But millions of dollars have been spent renovating the lodge and keeping its historic theme. Other renovations of park buildings have been completed, or are under way, and include moving the parking area back away from the rim so that the first sight of the lake by tourists won’t be over a sea of asphalt and waves of car tops.
When millions of Crater Lake coins start circulating, people who have never seen the lake will be asking themselves, “What’s so special about Crater Lake?”
Let’s get past any feelings about the quarter being unveiled June 15 in the Portland area instead of in Klamath County. There may be another ceremony later in the summer in Southern Oregon.
County residents will survive the situation. Actually, they may do better than that if the expected publicity sends more tourists this way and pumps more money into the Klamath County economy.
And speaking of things Crater Lake: What ever became of “Crater Lake Parkway,” the new name for the Alameda Bypass-Kit Carson Way thoroughfare on the north side of town? The last we heard all that was left to do was for the state to get the signs painted, and that’s been awhile.
We’d hate to think that the U.S. Mint can print hundreds of millions of Crater Lake quarters in less time than it takes the state to paint some street signs.
Let’s try to get them both on the street at the same time.
Other pages in this section
- Writers on the Range: Panhandling in our national parks – November 21, 2005
- Anniversary: Altorfer – 50 years – November 20, 2005
- New parkway signs go up – October 21, 2005
- Latest park proposal still worries some – October 20, 2005
- Scientists gather to save pines – October 09, 2005
- Prescribed burns planned at Crater Lake – October 4, 2005
- Crater Lake pines in peril – October 01, 2005
- ‘Rockin’ in the Klamath Basin – September 26, 2005
- Park rangers cleared in camper’s shooting death – September 23, 2005
- Seismic monitoring stations wanted at Crater Lake – September 17, 2005
- Editorial: Don’t let parks become political battleground – September 15, 2005
- Proposal: Parks need an update – September 6, 2005
- Hike of the Week: enjoy solitude, panorama on top of Crater Peak – September 2, 2005
- Spending a night on Crater Lake’s Wizard Island – September 04, 2005
- Longtime Crater Lake ranger retires – September 02, 2005
- Basin residents honor Crater Lake – August 26, 2005
- Oregon Governor just another tourist – August 26, 2005
- Crater Lake bicycle ride: 100 years, 100 miles – August 25, 2005
- Kulongoski, Walden in town for Oregon quarter celebration – August 23, 2005
- Jack Batzer dies after a household accident – August 22, 2005
- Crater Lake plates boost park funds – August 20, 2005
- Teens rehabilitate trails near Crater Lake – August 18, 2005
- Rim runs, marathon an oxymoron – August 15, 2005
- Bricco wins despite pain – August 14, 2005
- Hawkes wins marathon – August 14, 2005
- Layne claims victory in first trip to Crater Lake Rim Runs – August 14, 2005
- Hill, Glidden remember ’84 race well – August 13, 2005
- Parking a concern at Rim Runs – August 11, 2005
- Crater Lake National Park has seven rangers with authority to carry guns – August 02, 2005
- Man shot at Crater Lake arrested a year ago – August 02, 2005
- Ranger details Crater Lake shooting – July 30, 2005
- Ranger shoots violent camper at Crater Lake – July 29, 2005
- Teachers wanted for outdoor science school workshop – July 26, 2005
- Construction Projects Update – June 30, 2005
- Mint strikes Oregon quarter – May 27, 2005
- Celebrations planned for state quarter –
- Construction projects beginning at Crater Lake – May 24, 2005
- Multiple construction projects Begin! – May 23, 2005
- Since you asked: It would take centuries to drink up Crater Lake – May 6, 2005
- Officials unveil plan of action for tourism – April 27, 2005
- Postcards from the camps – April 25, 2005
- Wintery classroom at Crater Lake National Park – April 25, 2005
- Festival blooms in Jacksonville – April 7, 2005
- Project to Rehabilitate Rim Village Begins! – April 01, 2005
- Courses set on Karuks, bats, Crater Lake biology – March 21, 2005
- Education Afoot: a local teacher takes the lesson out of doors – February 7, 2005
- Streamflow signs buried in the snow – February 1, 2005
- How Rogue forest began – January 30, 2005
- Winter fun at Crater Lake – January 6, 2005
- Crater Lake ski races set for this weekend – February 02, 2005