William Steel and wife move to Medford.
Winter
Third annual Crater Lake Ski Race from Ft. Klamath and back. The silver winner’s cup is presented to Emil Nordeen, of Bend, Oregon in the winning time of 5 hours and 57 minutes. The tall cup was one of three made in Pittsburgh, PA. One of the trio was awarded to Charles Lindburg, while the third was bought by Charles Curtin, U.S. Vice President under Hoover. Mr. Nordeen was born in Sweden, above the Arctic Circle, in 1888 and had not skied for 20 years when he entered the 1929 race.
January 25
Planning is begun for a definite roadway and promenade along the rim in Rim Village. A log parapet is planned for the control of parking until stone curbing is put in.
January 25
The Annie Springs snow survey course established. Each month rangers weigh and measure the snow at Annie Springs and at Park Headquarters.
February 16
Elbert C. Solinsky enters on duty as the new Superintendent of Crater Lake National Park.
Beginning with Solinsky’s administration, the Park administered Oregon Caves National Monument fro March 3, 1930 until June 30, 1969. The Park also administered Lava Beds National Monument from August, 1933 until July 1, 1936.
June 20
Rudolph Luech begins his 9 year ranger career at Crater Lake. (See Godfrey entry for Nov. 17, 1930) Works at the Park until 1937.
July 1
The staff of the Educational Division in Crater Lake National Park has been increased this year to afford greater service to the public, and also to leave more permanent record of the work accomplished.
Mr. Dale Leslie, of Eugene, Oregon, has been assigned a s Ranger-Naturalist. Miss Mabel Libbard, who has had several years of experience in the Yosemite, is in active charge of the Temporary Museum. Mr. Frederick L. Wynd is assisting especially in the preparation of material for the manual of Information.
The temporary museum in the Community House is rapidly developing into a focus of interest for the public. A relief model of the Park has been added, together with temporary cases to contain the bird specimens prepared by Dr. Loye Miller, and the insect and rock collections which are being rapidly increased. The cut flower collection numbers over sixty identified species. Many valuable exhibits are awaiting the construction of a more permanent building. Two hundred visitors a day view the temporary exhibits.
July 3
Horses and donkeys are available to those who want to ride instead of walking from Government Camp to the Rim.
July 5
Dr. R.L. Wilbur, Secretary of Interior, and Horace Albright, National Park Service Director, visit the Park.
July 25
Landscape architect E.A. Davidson orders six foot wide walks be staked as diagonal paths to augment circulation along the promenade. The first planting soil is secured.
August
Castle Crest Wild Flower Garden opens. Warmest day on record with 92 degrees measured at Annie Spring.
August 1
The rudder of the Cleetwood is in William Steel’s possession. He plans to present it to Crater Lake when a permanent museum is established.
August 4
Mrs. Lee Fourrier, champion endurance swimmer becomes the first person to swim Crater Lake. Lee entered the waters at a little cave north of the Wine glass at 4:20 pm, heavily greased and emerged 6 1/2 miles distant, at 8:34:43, 4 hours, 18 minutes and 43 seconds later. The swim was delayed until special permission from the Superintendent could be obtained. Swimming in the Lake has been forbidden for years. Even though Mrs. Fourrier held the world’s endurance swimming record of 57 hours, she claimed this was the “hardest swim I ever made. The water was like ice. I was ready to climb out after an hour, and if it hadn’t been for the crowd on the opposite shore, I would have given up.”
Summer
During the construction of the Sinnott Memorial Overlook, a carpenter working on the building of the over-look’s flat roof, tells of how he drove a bucket of golf balls off the flat surface of the roof toward the Lake. He remembers only one ball making it into the water. The new Overlook building was the first federally-funded museum in a national park. Its design borrowed heavily from the Yavapai Observation Station at the Grand Canyon.
Business reversals force Kiser to give his studio building to the NPS.
The Lake Launch “Min” is lowered west of the cafeteria down a snow chute. The Fisher is also lowered here in 1958. The Min was almost destroyed when it slid out of control down the pumice chute. The “Min” was named for Mrs. Minnie Price, wife of the Lodgemanager. The boat was air-lifted out by the Navy in 1972 and given to a Sea Scout Troop in Klamath Falls.
John Day, noted mountain climber and World Age Class Record Holder in several events, tells about the time he and another ranger were digging a water line across the Rim Village parking lot. A very “proper-type” woman approached them and asked why Crater Lake was so blue. Knowing that the Lake was to be stocked with fish the next day, John and his friend told the lady to be on the Rim the next morning and she would be able to watch the men carry bluing in buckets down the Lake Trail. Several weeks later the two rangers were called in front of the superintendent to explain a letter of complaint that had been received in the Washington offices. The lady was worried that the Park was destroying the Lake by artificially bluing the water.
$17,500 spent treating 23,544 beetle infested trees, covering 6,055 acres.
The building of a new East Entrance Road from Dolber on the California Highway Hwy 97), is begun.
The temporary Goodbye Bridge is replaced with heavy peeled Hemlock log bridge measuring 240 feet long and 74 feet high.
1929 – 1937
Chris Schiffer – N.P.S. rock foreman supervises most of stone work construction at Rim Village.
September
A new administration building is authorized for the Rim. Will be built out of native stone and logs. Was never built.
November 3
Rangers stop a car whose occupants had been passing forged checks.
November
Lodge boat sinks while being towed.
Season Visitation: 127,146 visitors.
