iron ranger

n. an unattended container or automatic machine that receives visitor fees in a park, parking lot, or other public use facility. Subjects: English, Slang

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Citations: 1986 Barry S. Surman Los Angeles Times (Feb. 2) “State’s Biggest Urban Park Maintains a Low Profile” p. 1: Fees: Paid on the honor system in an “iron ranger” box at Bane Canyon, fees are $2 per vehicle for day use and $3 for primitive overnight camping. Add $1 per day for each horse or dog. 1990 Paul McHugh San Francisco Chronicle (May 21) “Exploring California’s “Lost Coast’” p. E1: The hike-in trail campsites are $2 per night, in advance (payable at the “iron ranger” posts at the trailheads). 1996 [John4Surf] Usenet: alt.surfing (Feb. 26) “State Coastal Commission vs. The Public?”: This is supposed to be a PUBLIC parking lot at a State Beach where patrons are supposed to display a receipt from the iron ranger parking dispenser or, have a State Parks pass attached to the windshield. 2000 [Pete Dumbleton] Usenet: rec.outdoors.rv-travel (Oct. 16) “Re: Some basic questions?”: Assuming you don’t, just put in an Iron Ranger (locked pipe with envelope slot), some envelopes and a sign saying “Pay $5/overnite or get Denver-Booted.” 2007 Tom Palmer The Ledger (Lakeland, Florida) (Jan. 18) “New State Park to Open”: Spaulding said by summer the park will begin charging $3 per vehicle on the honor system, which involves placing cash into an envelope and depositing it into a slot in what’s known as an “iron ranger.”

Posted 19 Jan 07 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

We do have iron rangers, in the sense you define above, at some parks here in Minnesota but, I’ve never heard them called that. This may be because in MN “iron ranger” already has a decades old definition.

An iron ranger is a person from north central/northeastern MN - due west of Lake Superior. This area is known as the iron range because of the many iron mines.

by steve_is 21 Jan 07, 0756 GMT