By Randy Frank
Of The Print
Editor's Note: Information for this story was taken from the
Historic Section from "Timberline Lodge, the Final Environmental
Statement" and the Timberline Lodge section from "Mt. Hood:
Portrait of a Magnificent Mountain" by Don and Roberta Lowe.
1977 marks an important year. Timberline Lodge—one of the
Northwest's most scenic monuments—celebrates its fortieth
anniversary.
Built originally with the help of the Works Progress Admini=
set up by President Franklin Roosevelt, the lodge has attracted
tourists and visitors to the south side of Mt. Hood since it was
completed in 1937.
In the early 1930's, a large project such as Timberline Lodge
had been suggested by a Portland Architect for the south side
near its present site. At the same time, the state administrator of
the WPA (in Portland) had also been thinking of a hotel develop
ment for the Govermnent Camp area.
This was envisioned as a picturesque, steep-roofed, French-
Norman style structure and it was felt that the hotel should be
located at the upper edge of the trees, embracing two worlds of
the mountain.
The project was proposed to Congress, approved and $275,513
was appropriated for construction. An additional $10,000 was
appropriated for furnishings.
However, the final cost of the lodge was more than twice the
original estimate. Ultimately, over $1 million was spent in con
structing the lodge complex. Timberline, exclusive of furnishings,
cost $675,000 and the road to it $150,000.
Following negotiated bids for required materials, snow was
ready to be cleared by early March 1935 in Summit Meadows. By
the end of May, snow ranging 9 to 12 feet in depth had been clear
ed as far as Phlox Point.
The cornerstone was laid in mid-June, and by September
443 men were working on the lodge, the road and the quarry.
The West wing was constructed first, then the central portion
and East wing. The heavy timbers for the main lobby were placed
in mid-September, and all exterior work was finished by the end
of October.
The crews were quartered at the lodge throughout the winter
while the interior work was begun.
Following the lodge's dedication in September 1937 by
President Roosevelt, some major problems which had been
waiting in the wings made their appearance.
All bids for permits to operate the lodge had been refused by
the Forest Service because they did not conform to set
expectations.
The Forest Service entered into the picture here because the
original plan called for the WPA, with Forest Serivce cooperation
and assistance, to build the lodge. Upon completion of the lodge,
operation would be at the direction of the Forest Service.
The Forest Service's expectations were, that in addition to
the annual payment of $1,000 and 50 percent of net profits, the
concessionaire would be responsible for providing a horse
wrangler, furnishing skkinstruction, and keeping the road clear
of snow.
The bidder finally showed in the form of the Timberline Lodge
Cooperation, which issued a 10-year special use permit at $250
annual fee plus a percentage of the profits.
Following the official opening on Feb..5, 1938, many were
unable to leave the ceremony because a 14-hour snowstorm
dumped 72 inches of snow. Nearly 200 people were trapped
for the weekend.
The building was closed throughout most of World War II
and was reopened in August, 1945.
The money lost during this time and the time and effort
needed to run the lodge was not justified by the overall profits
and in 1952 the Timberline Cooperation decided to relinquish
their concession.
Two Portland men took over in 1952 and were soon $80,000
dollars in debt as a result of costly improvements that even a good
skiing season could not make up for.
In 1953 another Portland man took over and by January 1955
conditions had deteriorated considerably.
The electricity had been shut off because of non-payment
hand-woven draperies had been stuffed into windows to replace
missing panes of glass', hand-carved furniture had been used for
firewood, and outside, the chair lift and rope tow were in
operable.
This mismanagement was terminated by the Forest Service in
January of 1955, and two months later Richard Kohnstamm
undertook the task of putting the lodge back into operation.
In addition to the five-month task of repairing the building,
he immediately put in a $100,000 double chair lift below the
lodge and later installed an outdoor swimming pool at the end
of the west wing.
Because of Kohnstamm's work at improving the lodge, year
round use has grown dramatically since the late 1950's, and a
Northwest wing, included in the original plans for the lodge but
not built in the 1930's, was started in 1972.
The lodge was placed on the National Register of historic
places on Nov. 12, 1973 as an example of Cascadian Archi
tecture. This granted the lodge the recognition it had been
gradually getting for its setting, architecture and historic and
cultural values.
The special permit that Kohnstamm and his associates used to
restore the lodge was rewritten with a new termination date of
May 31, 1974 and was subsequently extended to May 31,1975.
A new special use permit that had been prepared for a 30-year
lease went into effect June 1,1975.
J