Heeeere's Johnny!

Currently In: Boring, OR
Heading to Gig Harbor, WA this week
Then to Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado

The infamous Timberline Lodge on the south slope of Mt Hood was in a scene in the movie "The Shining" starring Jack Nicholson.  We took a drive over to check out the volcanic mountain and to see the lodge (elevation 6000 feet).

The day turned out to be cold with snow/rain (people were skiing on May31), so we didn't get a good up close look at the mountain.   We've seen it every other day from the road!  Today we had this view from the Japanese Gardens in Portland.

When we arrived at the Lodge we got a nice surprise in that we joined a tour given by Kristen of the US Forest Service.  The US Forest Service owns the Lodge.

The history of the building is fascinating and it has some wonderful artistic details.  Although plans were started to build this ski resort before the Great Depression, once the stock market crashed nobody had any money to start the project until President Roosevelt made it part of the New Deal.

WPA (Works Project Administration) and CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) funds were used to build it since plans were ready and it would employ so many people .  The workers were so worried that the money would run out and they would be out of jobs that they worked quickly in harsh conditions to complete the Lodge in just 15 months.  Local materials like timber from Washington and stone from Oregon were sourced.  FDR dedicated the Lodge in September of 1937.

Check out this awesome fireplace - it's really 2 stories and weighs 400 tons. And those chairs in front of it are original.  All made by hand by the WPA workers.

The hand carved detail in the reliefs over the stairs depict the Oregon Trail.

All of the banister newels are carvings of different animals.

This wood and iron door is amazing and was also made by craftsmen from the WPA.

The artwork in the main conference room was from a local Portland artist - sorry I don't remember his name.  Murals line the walls illustrating various winter sports that take place at Timberline.  They were painted on linoleum!  Here are a couple of my favorite sections.

There is artwork throughout the Lodge.  I liked these two pieces near the entrance.  The drinking fountain on the mosaic (pic on left) used to be an ashtray.





















And of course Babe the Blue Ox has been following us everywhere!

The Lodge closed for financial reasons in both the 40's and the 50's.  Finally in 1955 Richard L. Kohnstomm convinced the US Forest Service to let him operate it.  His company, RLK, has been running it ever since.  A St. Bernard is still the mascot and roams around the Lodge.  He was  off the day we were there, however.

We learned many other interesting stories and facts on the tour.  It is obvious that the people involved with the Lodge are very proud of it - and rightly so.  They work hard to preserve both the facility and the history behind it.