William Gladstone Steel is considered to be the "Father of Crater Lake" and was instrumental in preserving the Cascade Range Reserve.
He was born in 1854 in Ohio, where his parents ran an underground railroad stop. They eventually moved to Kansas and then to Portland, Oregon. It was in Kansas that Steel claims to have first read about Crater Lake in a newspaper used to wrap his lunch. Right then he vowed to see it — and 15 years later, he finally did.
Crater Lake Lodge was built in 1915 to attract more tourists. Photo circa 1920s.
The Oregon Historical Society. # 93200
So awestruck by what he saw, Steel made it his life's mission to preserve the lake as a national park. He was dedicated, passionate and annoying. He badgered anyone he thought might help him and spent years lobbying Congress, writing to newspaper editors and drumming up publicity for his ideas.
After 17 years of hard work, Steel's efforts paid off. On May 22, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the bill making Crater Lake a national park. But once the park was established, Steel felt it had to be developed in order for people to enjoy it. He pushed for better roads, secured financing for a grand lodge and even wanted to build a bridge to Wizard Island within Crater Lake.
Despite his ideas for development, Steel was also a dedicated conservationist who founded the mountaineering club the Mazamas and spent several years working to make the Cascade Range a national reserve.
William Gladstone Steel was complex and controversial, and an important force in preserving the Cascade Range as we know it today.
Resources
Articles
He All but Made the Mountains: William Gladstone Steel, Mountain Climbing, and the Establishment of Crater Lake National ParkOregon Historical Quarterly, Spring 2002
Books
Mount Hood: A Complete Story by Jack Grauer
Web
Belief and Ritual of Crater Lake
Crater Lake National Park Trust
Broadcast Date: February 19, 2007