Crater Lake Superintendent's Residence
Encyclopedia
Crater Lake Superintendent's Residence, is "an impressive structure of massive boulders and heavy-handed woodwork" at Crater Lake National Park
in southern Oregon
. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1987.
The park Superintendent's Residence is located at north end of Munson Valley Historic District
(NRHP #88002622). It was constructed in 1933. The building’s footprint is 33 by 61 feet with a rustic stone superstructure and wood-shake roof. The first floor includes an entry hall, living room with lava-rock fireplace, a dining room, kitchen, and bedroom with adjoining bathroom. The second floor has four additional bedrooms and two bathrooms. The building was framed in Douglas fir and the roof covered with cedar
shakes.
Today, the building houses part of the park’s Science and Learning Center. It opened its doors on August 26, 2006. The Superintendent's House was completely restored and retrofitted for safety in order to become useful once more to serve scientists and students in studies pertaining to Crater Lake and the surrounding area. The main house is used as library, meeting space, and offices and is furnished with the original Imperial Monterey furniture
. An adjacent secondary building serves as a bunkhouse for visitors, and houses a mixture of reproduction and original Imperial Monterey furniture. The reproduction furniture was created as part of a graduate student project by two students from the Oregon College of Art and Craft.
The Imperial Monterey furniture line conserved for Crater Lake National Park was purchased by the NPS through Meier & Frank in Portland, Oregon. It is one of two largest complete lines known in existence in a public place, the other being a line of Mason Monterey furniture just a few hours away at the Oregon Caves National Monument. The Imperial furniture line is one of the best known of the secondary Monterey lines, made in Los Angeles, California in the early 1930’s. The Imperial line utilized mahogany as their primary wood, usually stained dark brown with a silvery sheen, created by grain filler, probably silex or calcium chloride. The line was solid and heavy, accented by top quality ironwork. Originally the line was upholstered in a multicolored cotton weave in a fiesta-influenced pattern. The restoration show covers chosen were rich red and cordovan colored waxed top grain aniline leathers, which was also appropriate to the time.
Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in southern Oregon. Established in 1902, Crater Lake National Park is the sixth oldest national park in the United States and the only one in the state of Oregon...
in southern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1987.
The park Superintendent's Residence is located at north end of Munson Valley Historic District
Munson Valley Historic District
Munson Valley Historic District is the headquarters and main support area for Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon. The National Park Service chose Munson Valley for the park headquarters because of its central location within the park...
(NRHP #88002622). It was constructed in 1933. The building’s footprint is 33 by 61 feet with a rustic stone superstructure and wood-shake roof. The first floor includes an entry hall, living room with lava-rock fireplace, a dining room, kitchen, and bedroom with adjoining bathroom. The second floor has four additional bedrooms and two bathrooms. The building was framed in Douglas fir and the roof covered with cedar
Cedar wood
Cedar wood comes from several different trees that grow in different parts of the world, and may have different uses.* California incense-cedar, from Calocedrus decurrens, is the primary type of wood used for making pencils...
shakes.
Today, the building houses part of the park’s Science and Learning Center. It opened its doors on August 26, 2006. The Superintendent's House was completely restored and retrofitted for safety in order to become useful once more to serve scientists and students in studies pertaining to Crater Lake and the surrounding area. The main house is used as library, meeting space, and offices and is furnished with the original Imperial Monterey furniture
Monterey Furniture
Monterey Furniture refers to several furniture lines made from 1930 to the mid-1940s in California. Uniquely western, the line derived its character from Spanish and Dutch Colonial styles, California Mission architecture and furnishings, ranch furnishings, and cowboy accoutrements such as might be...
. An adjacent secondary building serves as a bunkhouse for visitors, and houses a mixture of reproduction and original Imperial Monterey furniture. The reproduction furniture was created as part of a graduate student project by two students from the Oregon College of Art and Craft.
The Imperial Monterey furniture line conserved for Crater Lake National Park was purchased by the NPS through Meier & Frank in Portland, Oregon. It is one of two largest complete lines known in existence in a public place, the other being a line of Mason Monterey furniture just a few hours away at the Oregon Caves National Monument. The Imperial furniture line is one of the best known of the secondary Monterey lines, made in Los Angeles, California in the early 1930’s. The Imperial line utilized mahogany as their primary wood, usually stained dark brown with a silvery sheen, created by grain filler, probably silex or calcium chloride. The line was solid and heavy, accented by top quality ironwork. Originally the line was upholstered in a multicolored cotton weave in a fiesta-influenced pattern. The restoration show covers chosen were rich red and cordovan colored waxed top grain aniline leathers, which was also appropriate to the time.
External links
- Crater Lake National Park
- Architecture in the Parks: A National Historic Landmark Theme Study: Superintendent's Residence, by Laura Soullière Harrison, 1986, at National Park Service.
- http://www.mpfconservation.com/Imperial-Monterey.html Documentation about the restoration and conservation of the furniture in the Superintendent's Residence.