Sinnott Memorial Observation Station
Encyclopedia
The Sinnott Memorial Observation Station is a sheltered viewpoint built into the caldera cliff 900 feet above Crater Lake
in southern Oregon
, United States
. It is located near the Rim Village Visitor Center in Crater Lake National Park
. The structure includes a small natural history museum with exhibits that highlight the geologic history of Mount Mazama
and the formation of Crater Lake. The building was officially dedicated as the Nicholas J. Sinnott Memorial Observation Station and Museum; however, it is commonly known as the Sinnott Memorial Overlook or Sinnott Viewing Area. It is architecturally significant because it was the first National Park Service
building constructed specifically as a museum and the first structure built in Crater Lake National Park using rustic stone masonry
construction. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as Sinnott Memorial Building No. 67.
. It was intended to honor Nicholas J. Sinnott
who represented eastern Oregon in the United States House of Representatives
from 1913 to 1928. As chairman of the House Public Lands Committee, Sinnott had actively supported Crater Lake National Park. He died in 1929 shortly after retiring from Congress. While the Sinnott Memorial was to serve as an observation point, Congress also intended the building to be a museum. In fact, it was the first museum building constructed in a national park at the specific direction of Congress.
The structure was designed by landscape architect Merel S. Sager, a pioneer of the rustic style of park architecture. To ensure a spectacular view, Sager chose a site on Victor Rock, 900 feet above the lake. Construction of the observation station began in the fall of 1930. During construction, Sager spend hours in a rowboat on the lake, ensuring the building blended perfectly into the caldera
cliff. As a result, the building provides a spectacular view of Crater Lake and surrounding caldera and mountains, but is virtually invisible from the lake below. The building was finished the following summer. It was dedicated on July 16, 1931. Horace M. Albright
, the director of the National Park Service, attended the dedication ceremony along with William Gladstone Steel
and many other dignitaries. Once it was open, the public quickly made it one of Crater Lake’s most popular viewing areas.
Prior to the park's centennial in 2003, the Sinnott Memorial Building was completely renovated and the museum exhibits updated. The new exhibits cost $425,000, and include easy-to-understand displays with a video program that shows how Mount Mazama was created, how the mountain collapsed, and how the lake formed.
To get to the Sinnott building, visitors follow a short, stair-step trail from Rim Village to the entrance. The entrance door opens to a 40 foot by 40 foot observation room. On the north side of the room, an open-air balcony offers visitors a spectacular view to the lake. The balcony is covered by a cantilever
log roof. The museum exhibits are located in the center of the observation room and around the walls. The exhibits highlight the geologic history of Mount Mazama and the formation of Crater Lake. There is also a hidden 12 by 14 foot workroom adjacent to the museum space. A door on the east side of the room leads to the exit stairs which is hidden from view by a stone wall.
The building is constructed of heavy, native stone and concrete with log beams supporting the roof. The structure’s footprint is somewhat irregular because the building was designed to merge the cliff. The stone walls are load-bearing with rough rock exposed on the outer walls to blend with the surrounding landscape.
In the 1930s, the building’s roof was re-built with asphalt and lead flashing to stop leaking. In 1961, flagstone paving was added to the interior floor and the exterior entry patio area. The entire structure was renovated in 2003. Despite the changes required over the years, the National Park Service has been careful to maintain the rustic look of the building. Because of its architectural and historic significance, the Sinnott Memorial Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Crater Lake
Crater Lake is a caldera lake located in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park and famous for its deep blue color and water clarity. The lake partly fills a nearly deep caldera that was formed around 7,700 years agoby the...
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located near the Rim Village Visitor Center in Crater Lake National Park
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...
. The structure includes a small natural history museum with exhibits that highlight the geologic history of Mount Mazama
Mount Mazama
Mount Mazama is a destroyed stratovolcano in the Oregon part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the Cascade Range. The volcano's collapsed caldera holds Crater Lake, and the entire mountain is located within Crater Lake National Park....
and the formation of Crater Lake. The building was officially dedicated as the Nicholas J. Sinnott Memorial Observation Station and Museum; however, it is commonly known as the Sinnott Memorial Overlook or Sinnott Viewing Area. It is architecturally significant because it was the first National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
building constructed specifically as a museum and the first structure built in Crater Lake National Park using rustic stone masonry
National Park Service Rustic
National Park Service rustic, also colloquially known as Parkitecture, is a style of architecture that arose in the United States National Park System to create buildings that harmonized with their natural environment. Since its founding, the National Park Service consistently has sought to provide...
construction. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Sinnott Memorial Building No. 67.
History
The Sinnott Memorial was funded by a $10,000 appropriation from the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
. It was intended to honor Nicholas J. Sinnott
Nicholas J. Sinnott
Nicholas John Sinnott was a Republican politician from the state of Oregon. He served in the Oregon State Senate, in the United States House of Representatives, and on the now defunct United States Court of Claims federal court.-Early life:...
who represented eastern Oregon in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1913 to 1928. As chairman of the House Public Lands Committee, Sinnott had actively supported Crater Lake National Park. He died in 1929 shortly after retiring from Congress. While the Sinnott Memorial was to serve as an observation point, Congress also intended the building to be a museum. In fact, it was the first museum building constructed in a national park at the specific direction of Congress.
The structure was designed by landscape architect Merel S. Sager, a pioneer of the rustic style of park architecture. To ensure a spectacular view, Sager chose a site on Victor Rock, 900 feet above the lake. Construction of the observation station began in the fall of 1930. During construction, Sager spend hours in a rowboat on the lake, ensuring the building blended perfectly into the caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
cliff. As a result, the building provides a spectacular view of Crater Lake and surrounding caldera and mountains, but is virtually invisible from the lake below. The building was finished the following summer. It was dedicated on July 16, 1931. Horace M. Albright
Horace M. Albright
Horace Marden Albright was an American conservationist.Horace Albright was born 1890 in Bishop, California, the son of George Albright, a miner. He graduated from University of California, Berkeley in 1912 , and earned a law degree from Georgetown University...
, the director of the National Park Service, attended the dedication ceremony along with William Gladstone Steel
William Gladstone Steel
William Gladstone Steel , called the "father of Crater Lake", referring to the creation of Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, United States. A native of Ohio, he worked in the newspaper business before becoming a mail carrier...
and many other dignitaries. Once it was open, the public quickly made it one of Crater Lake’s most popular viewing areas.
Prior to the park's centennial in 2003, the Sinnott Memorial Building was completely renovated and the museum exhibits updated. The new exhibits cost $425,000, and include easy-to-understand displays with a video program that shows how Mount Mazama was created, how the mountain collapsed, and how the lake formed.
Structure
The Sinnott Memorial Observation Station is built on Victor Rock, an outcropping on the cliff face of Crater Lake’s caldera wall, approximately 50 feet below the crest. The structure was the first in the park to use log and stone masonry construction. The structure’s rustic style set the architectural standard for future buildings constructed at Crater Lake National Park.Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
log roof. The museum exhibits are located in the center of the observation room and around the walls. The exhibits highlight the geologic history of Mount Mazama and the formation of Crater Lake. There is also a hidden 12 by 14 foot workroom adjacent to the museum space. A door on the east side of the room leads to the exit stairs which is hidden from view by a stone wall.
The building is constructed of heavy, native stone and concrete with log beams supporting the roof. The structure’s footprint is somewhat irregular because the building was designed to merge the cliff. The stone walls are load-bearing with rough rock exposed on the outer walls to blend with the surrounding landscape.
In the 1930s, the building’s roof was re-built with asphalt and lead flashing to stop leaking. In 1961, flagstone paving was added to the interior floor and the exterior entry patio area. The entire structure was renovated in 2003. Despite the changes required over the years, the National Park Service has been careful to maintain the rustic look of the building. Because of its architectural and historic significance, the Sinnott Memorial Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.