What is known as Drakesbad Guest Ranch inside of Lassen Volcanic National Park was slow to evolve to what is now. In 1900, Susanville school teacher, Alex Sifford,  purchased Drakes Spring from Edward R.Drake. A decade later, Sifford was at crossroad as what to do with the summer resort. Each summer the crowds kept getting larger. If Sifford was going to continue, he would need capital and some one to assist in operations.

Sifford consulted Susanville banker Jules Alexander. Alexander was familiar with property since he was a frequent visitor to Drakes since the early 1890s. The solution was to form a corporation, sell stock and hire a manager. On January 16, 1914 Drakes Springs Company was incorporated. The principles were: Alex and Ida Sifford; Jules and Rae Alexander and Juan Brambila. the latter of whom would assume management.

The first order of business was the upgrade of the facilities for the 1914 season. This included a new dining room and kitchen, a cement pool and twenty-five campsites equipped with tents with wooden floors and canvass tops.

For marketing purposes is decided to rename Drake’s Springs. It was Rae Alexander who came up with the new name. It was the general consensus to keep the Drake name. Mrs. Alexander’s parents were from Germany and the German word for spas and baths was bad. In it was announced the new resort was to be named Drakesbad.

The Drake’s Springs Company was a short-lived affair. It was dissolved in July 1915, with Sifford taking back the ownership.

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