Steve Mark, historian, Crater Lake National Park
Pre-interview 4/16/07
At that time were a bunch of roads, the director had the vision to create a "Grand Tour" of the West by connecting them
Army Crops of Engineers contracted the construction of Rim Road out to day laborers, they graded the roads
-used day laborers because they didn't know how much it would cost, etc. - safe bet to use them
It was all a reaction of car ownership going "through the roof"
Crater Lake was experienceing years of 20% and 30% increase in visitors
1909 Automobile Lodge began construction
Roads: Now we thing of roads as something to maintain, then they had to think of EVERYTHING - very "complicated decision making process". We think of buildings as structures, but roads were some of the most complicated and expensive things that had to be built first"
Museam Curator - Mary Benterou - 541-594-3095