By the late 1920s Malvena Gallatin rarely visited the lake and John and Alberta Christie, who operated the Eagle Lake Resort became caretakers of her summer home.
In 1944, Malvena’s only grandchild Norma Virginia Harvey Wacchorst passed away. Gallatin House, in essence was built for Norma and when she was growing up in the late 1910s would spend the summers at the lake with her grandmother. It was Christmas 1944 that Melvena returned to spend a lonely holiday at Gallatin House.
Then something unexpectedly happened. On February 1, 1946 Malvena sold all of her Eagle Lake property, except a 1.96 acre parcel that the Gallatin House was situated on to the Lassen Lumber & Box Company for an estimated $100,000. This alarmed Lassen National Forest officials. After all, who knew what the lumber company’s intention were. Would they log it, or even worse develop it in such a fashion the public would never have access to the lake. The forest service contacted Lassen Lumber & Box about a land exchange for the property. By summer an agreement had been reached and on August 27, 1946 a deed executed transferring the Gallatin property of the forest service. Lassen Lumber & Box were allowed to harvest nearly 14,000, 000 board feet, and the company, in addition received over $500,000 of timber in the deal.