Crater of Diamonds Newsletter

Change at the Crater

By Margi Jenks

Visitors, who have previously come to the Crater of Diamonds State Park, will notice a number of changes when they visit again. Over the past two years the park maintenance staff and contractors worked hard to upgrade park facilities. First, the park Campground received a facelift. Campers who have come since we reopened the Campground in July have commented on the nice amenities, like a sewer system to each site and upgraded handicapped sites.

The change that everyone noticed this week was the 7” snowfall on Sunday the 9^th. Park Interpreter Waymon Cox took pictures as the snow was falling and caught this shot of snow blurring our historic mine shaft building. But, this kind of change doesn’t last very long.

Snow falling on the historic Mine Shaft Building

A more lasting change happened on the lower level of our Diamond Discovery Center. Over the Christmas holidays our maintenance staff enclosed and weatherized the rental tool storage room. We moved the front rental desk into the improved tool storage room. Previously, the front desk registers and credit card machines were out in the heat, cold, and high southwest Arkansas humidity. Also, they had to be moved each night into the tool storage room. Both of these problems shortened the life spans of those machines, which caused problems for our visitors when they broke down. These problems are fixed now that the registers are permanently placed in the weatherized tool storage room.

Remodeled rental tool storage area

Our rental desk staff members are the biggest winners in this change. As clerk James Hollis said “It’s warm!” They no longer need their heavy jackets and multiple layers of clothing. This coming summer when the temperatures again reach the 100 degree mark, they will be inside in air conditioning. Clerk Kayla Long noted that this change makes it easier for our staff to be alert and smiling for all our visitors.

Facility Manager Cathie Sigman and Clerk Machel Riley enjoy the new tool rental area

We’re not finished making changes yet, so watch this column for our next and most exciting change.

Search area last plowed: January 7, 2011; Most recent significant rain: January 16

Total diamonds found in 2011: 22

Diamonds registered for January 9 - January 15, 2011 (100 points = 1carat):

Due to the snow visitation was down, so the only diamond that was registered is the following:

January 15 - Kenny and Melissa Oliver, Rosston, AR, 2 pt. brown