Timberline Lodge: from rat-infested ruin to Oregon’s crown jewel

Richard Kohnstamm’s Desperate Rescue of Timberline Lodge

Timberline Lodge sat in ruins by 1955, once a crown jewel of FDR’s WPA program.

Richard Kohnstamm, a 29-year-old social worker with no hotel know-how, found broken windows, rats eating furniture, and teens making out in the lobby.

The lodge faced over 1,000 fire code fixes and rooms needing $15,000 each in repairs. Still, Kohnstamm saw “a monument to American arts and crafts” worth saving.

He got the permit in May, fixed what he could by July, and held on five tough years until skiing boomed.

The story of this bold rescue lives on at Oregon’s Timberline Lodge, where the Rachael Griffin Historic Exhibition now shows how close we came to losing it all.

A Social Worker Stumbled Upon America’s Forgotten Mountain Lodge

Richard Kohnstamm first spotted Timberline Lodge during weekend ski trips while working at Portland’s Neighborhood House. The 29-year-old social worker from Columbia had no clue this amazing building existed.

Workers built it from 1936-1937 as a Depression-era project, with handmade curtains, carved furniture, and iron fixtures made by 400 skilled workers.

Despite seeing its problems, Kohnstamm couldn’t stop thinking about the run-down lodge. His Swedish wife Ulla finally told him, “If it bugs you so much, why not do something about it?

The Government Pulled the Plug on a National Treasure

The Forest Service canceled Timberline’s operating permit on February 17, 1955. Years of bad management left bills unpaid, with the power completely cut off.

Police checked out reports of gambling and prostitution at the place before it shut down. Nobody managed to run the lodge well for more than two years straight.

From January through March 1955, Timberline sat empty, with no guests, no workers, and no future in sight.

Snow Blew Through Broken Windows of the Abandoned Lodge

Kohnstamm walked into total mess in March 1955. Snow came in through broken windows while the lodge sat cold and empty.

The once-pretty handmade curtains hung in tatters, stuffed into broken windows as quick fixes. Rats ate away the leather on hand-carved chairs.

Teens used the empty lodge for parties, making out in the lobby with jukeboxes playing. Staff burned handmade furniture for heat, leaving fix-up costs around $15,000 per room.

Nobody Wanted to Touch the Money-Losing Lodge

The Forest Service looked everywhere for a new operator while facing thousands in lawsuits. Kohnstamm kept thinking about the lodge despite knowing nothing about hotels.

The previous operator, Slaney, tried selling Kohnstamm the lease for $200,000, but he said no. Instead, Kohnstamm went straight to the Forest Service with his own plan.

Jim Duncan, who worked at the lodge since it opened, pushed Kohnstamm to apply, seeing something special in the young social worker.

Forest Rangers Took a Chance on the Unlikely Hero

Against common sense, the Forest Service gave Kohnstamm the operating permit on May 28, 1955. His “energy and drive” won them over despite his lack of hotel know-how.

Kohnstamm told them that “Timberline needed one last chance” to survive. He quickly formed R.L.K. and Company to run both the lodge and ski area. With no big money backing him, Kohnstamm borrowed against his life insurance policy to get started.

Four Months of Frantic Repairs Followed

Work started right away on fixing the rundown place, with cleaning and repairs taking months. Inspectors found over 1,000 fire code problems that needed fixing before reopening.

The sewage and water systems were outdated and needed replacement. The broken chairlift needed major repairs, costing thousands more than planned.

Kohnstamm and his team worked day and night to meet their July 1st reopening goal.

The Lodge Welcomed Visitors Again on Independence Day Weekend

Timberline reopened on July 1, 1955, after four months of non-stop fix-up work.

Kohnstamm added new safety systems, fixed the basic systems, and restored much of the original craftwork. The reopening marked the first stable management in the lodge’s troubled 18-year history.

The chairlift repairs continued into winter, making the first ski season tricky. Summer tourism stayed slow, putting money pressure on the new business.

Five Years of Red Ink Tested Kohnstamm’s Resolve

Kohnstamm lost money during his first five years running Timberline while learning the hotel business from scratch. The lodge ran on tight budgets while competing against established ski resorts with more money.

R. L.K. and Company spent thousands more on improvements and equipment. Kohnstamm borrowed heavily and used family money to keep going.

Success depended entirely on getting enough visitors to cover the huge fix-up costs and daily operations.

Skiing Suddenly Became America’s Cool New Hobby

American skiing culture took off in the late 1950s, creating perfect timing for Timberline. The lodge sat just 60 miles from Portland, making it perfectly located for weekend skiers.

Kohnstamm offered cheap dorm beds at $2.50 per night, bringing in families and day skiers who couldn’t afford fancier resorts.

Oregonians supported Richard and his vision for the lodge as ski resort numbers nationwide grew quickly.

The Books Finally Showed Black Ink in 1960

After five long years of losses, Timberline made its first profit in 1960. The lodge now brought in 500,000 visitors yearly and finally showed positive numbers.

Kohnstamm had put roughly $400,000 in total to reach money stability. The success let him plan major improvements including new chairlifts and facilities.

For the first time since opening in 1937, Timberline became financially stable and self-supporting.

The Social Worker Who Saved a National Landmark

Timberline grew into one of America’s most popular ski destinations under Kohnstamm’s leadership. The lodge preserved its Depression-era craftsmanship while operating as a modern resort.

Kohnstamm often said, “All I’ve done is get people to respect Timberline again. ” His success created a model for combining historic preservation with commercial viability.

The social worker with no hotel experience had secured Timberline’s place as America’s greatest alpine lodge for generations to come.

Visiting Timberline Lodge, Oregon

Timberline Lodge at 27500 E Timberline Road in Government Camp tells the story of Richard Kohnstamm’s 1955 rescue mission to save this bankrupt WPA masterpiece.

You can walk through the lodge for free and see original 1930s artwork and handcrafted furniture. Take the Magic Mile Sky Ride chairlift from 8am-3pm for mountain views, or try self-guided art tours.

The historic Silcox Hut offers overnight stays at 7,000 feet.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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