The Mineral Log Lodge is a historic lodge located in Mineral, Washington. The landmark was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1975. Known originally as the Mineral Lake Inn, the log cabin lodge was constructed in 1906 out of solid timber. Initially the inn was to be of use as a retreat for wealthy citizens from Seattle and Tacoma. However, the lodge was not a successful venture at its beginnings due to difficulties in reaching the rural inn. Coupled with losses to Mineral's economy and population during the 1910s and into the 1920s, ownership, in order to increase business, turned to activities such as alcohol and gambling which were considered legally and morally unacceptable at the time. The inn was often raided by law enforcement. The lodge changed ownership several times afterwards, becoming a sanatorium for a brief time and later used for corporate or employee retreats for logging companies. The venue was used to entertain business and political dignitaries in the state in the mid-20th century but eventually fell out of use, becoming a private residence for decades as a house for caretakers. By the early 2000s, the lodge was reopened as a bed-and-breakfast. The Mineral Log lodge, noted also for its dormers, an attached, matching kitchen building, and views of Mount Rainier, is considered to be in a mostly unaltered state, surviving in good condition with a large amount of original craftsmanship remaining during its lifetime.
History The land around Mineral Lake was settled by Scandinavian families around the 1880s and 1890s. An adjoining parcel to what was to become the location of the Mineral Log Lodge was originally a stopping point for weary pioneer travelers before a homestead cabin and barn was erected. The structures are one of the earliest remaining settlement buildings in the region. The lodge, originally known as the Mineral Lake Inn, was built under order of a Mr. Gilfellin in 1906. The building was constructed by local Scandinavian people in and around Mineral, known for old world craftsmanship. The inn was initially targeted to prominent, affluent people from the metropolitan areas around Puget Sound as a retreat for health and wellness or for wilderness activities. Hunting, due to the geographic nature of the area, could be done throughout the year. Vacationers traveled by train to Elbe, completing the journey to the inn by horse and buggy. The first event of note was a gathering of the Washington State Press Association in August 1906. It was the first time the organization held an event in Lewis County. Although the inn became known as Mineral's main attraction. and despite the early press association event, the lodge was not an immediate business success due to its location and difficulty in travel to reach the destination. The town's fortune began to wane, with economic conditions and population decreasing. Mine and timber production began to diminish. The community's major employer, the Mineral Lake Lumber Company's mill, was lost to fire in 1920, ending Mineral's peak years.
To increase business, Gilfellin opened the inn to more risqué opportunities of the time, including alcohol, gambling, and a vague description of "other vices". The venture helped to attract local men in the mining and timber industry, but the lodge was raided by law enforcement consistently. During this time of vice, ownership changed often. In early 1926, the grounds were purchased by the Ruby family for use as the Mineral Lake Sanatorium, a wellness retreat for those suffering from a wide range of maladies, including alcoholism, epilepsy, and those considered "mildly insane". Weyerhaeuser bought the inn afterwards, converting it for use as a hunting lodge for corporate officials and guests. Since Weyerhaeuser did not log in the nearby vicinity, the lodge remained mostly unused. By the 1940s, the site became under ownership of L.T. Murray Sr. and the West Fork Timber Company, based in Tacoma, as part of a purchase of surrounding timber land. The company's Mineral Lake logging camp used the lodge, which was occupied by the cook. Murray and his company eventually began to use the lodge for meetings with prominent business and political leaders of the time, including Governor Arthur B. Langlie and state senator Harry P. Cain. The building became of use as a residence for certain West Fork employees by the mid-1970s and the logging company retained ownership into the 1980s. An owner from the late 1980s into the early 2000s attempted to reopen the site as a lodge but was unable to meet certain county and state code requirements. The Sheppard family bought the site in 2002, reopening the inn as an 8-room bed-and-breakfast in August 2004.
Mr. Gilfellin Gilfellin's history is mostly unknown and supported by either myth or local legends. He was said to be vaguely from the "east" and was an investor, possibly the son of one of the early manufacturers of radios. A local story states Gilfellin married a countess from Austria and moved to Argentina. Whether he left of his own will, or by fear of the law, is not known.
Geography The Mineral Log Lodge is located off the western shoreline of Mineral Lake on Mineral Hill Road in Mineral, Washington. Due to the inn's proximity to the lake, lodge visitors use a variety of boats to travel on the water and views of Mount Rainier are available from the second story balcony. At the time of the NRHP nomination in 1975, the lodge was listed as a private residence but open for appointment tours.
Architecture and features
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