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1939
May 11 1939 Suspects detained following an armed robbery in Klamath Falls.
June 1 1939 Mabel Hedgepeth appointed as the Park’s sixth postmaster.
July 27 1939 Forty spot fires set in northwest corner of the Park.
Summer 1939 Al Smith, Lodge houseboy, claims to be the first recorded person to walk around Crater Lake after a day’s work. Smith, accompanied by a house girl also named Smith, leave the Lodge area at 7:00 p.m. and return to the Lodge at approximately 5:45 a.m. in time to go to work at 7 a.m. They traveled by trail, no trail and by road around the Lake. (Story told to the author 1980))
September 24 1939 WPA enrollee, Alfred Goetze, turns up missing near Annie Springs. No further details until this letter arrives at the Park.
January 27, 1984 – The facts are this, my grandfather Albert C. Goetze, was employed by the W.P.A. as a saw filer at Crater Lake National Park in 1939. He was last seen on Sunday, September 24, 1939 by storekeeper LeRoy Marcroft walking past the grease- rack in a southerly direction. It was not until September 26, 1939 at 1:00 p.m. that he was reported missing by a fellow employee and friend William Drummond. Several “exhaustive” searches were conducted from September 26, 1939 until a six-inch snowstorm on October 5, 1939 brought the search to a general halt. Those in charge of the search were Superintendent Leavitt, Assistant Superintendent Parker and Chief Ranger Crouch. Also Sheriff Low of Klamath Falls and the Oregon State Police were notified. The search party personnel included employees of the Park Service, the C.C.C. and the W.P.A. Albert C. Goetze was 68 years old, slight of build, five-foot eight inches tall, he weighed 135 pounds, he had white hair cut short, a slight limp in his left leg, and his home was at 295 Palm Ave, Ashland, Oregon
Shortly after my grandfather’s disappearance, my grandmother moved away from Ashland and because the Post Office forwarded mail for only one year, our family has wondered if, say ten years after his disappearance, remains were found by the park service and they could not locate any of us that the case would be closed to the Park Service but our family would never have found out about it. If you could have someone look over your files it would be gratefully appreciated by our family. Sincerely, George Calvert Reed Eagle Point, Oregon 826-9831
February 9, 1984 Dear Mr. Reed:
We have made an exhaustive effort to find additional information regarding the disappearance of your grandfather, Albert C. Goetze during September 1935.
After checking in-park files, Regional files in Seattle, Washington D.C files, National Archives – we drew a complete blank. The Archives in St. Louis burned down two years ago so those records were destroyed.
We were able to contact a man who worked in the park from 1935 – 1945 and 1955 – 1970. (Probably Guy Hartell. 1937 Guy Hartell of Klamath Falls begins working on road crew and as a snow plow operator. Guy leaves in 1942 when the Park closes because of the War and is rehired in 1956 after spending 14 years working for the State Highway Department. Guy finally retires in 1970.) This man remembered your grandfather and the incident. He was able to state that your grandfather seemed very happy in his work and got along well with everyone. He said that your grandfather was a good saw sharpener and, in fact had sharpened a saw for him during the summer of 1939.
He remembered the incident and stated that he thought your grandfather went North up the trail towards Garfield Peak. He assured me that – during his tenure at the park – nothing was found at a later date to solve the problem of what happened to grandfather. We are sorry we cannot come up with additional information for you. George Phillips – Chief Park Ranger –
1939 Private inholding, The “Yawkey Tract” purchased.
Crater Lake National Park Extension study completed and sent to the director. The study embraced 400 square miles (256,000 acres) of the U.S.F.S., including Diamond Lake, Mt. Thielsen, Mt. Bailey, the Upper Rogue Valley and the Union Creek area. Strong opposition from those opposing the Diamond Lake addition. “The possibilities as a public pleasuring ground seem almost unlimited.”
Summer 1939 Allan Smith, lodge employee, tells of dancing with Carol Lombard at the Rim Community Center. (It may have been 1938 or 1940.) Miss Lombard and Clark Gable were visiting the Park for a day or two. Gable cussed a lot when Miss Lombard wanted to dance with the employees and she swore back. Lombard wouldn’t leave with Gable when he left for bed. (Personal story to the author.)
Season 1939 Visitation: 225,101
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