The late 1920s and early1930s were exciting times at Lassen Volcanic National Park. After years of wrangling with Congress to appropriate funds to provide the basic essentials to develop the park finally came to fruition. Thus, the park highway finally became a reality and completed in 1931.

Unlike other national parks, Lassen had no grand lodge, nor did it even have a hotel. There was Drakesbad, Juniper Lake and Sulphur Works, but these were owned privately, which the park had no control over.

For a brief time the park courted the Western Pacific Railroad as a possible concessionaire to provide a hotel and transportation. However, within the park there were two camps—one wanted a grandiose lodge, the other a more minimalist approach to compliment the park’s wildnerness.

Enter two park rangers Don Hummel and Charles Keathley. In October 1932 they had a plan to build accommodations at Manzanita Lake and requested from the park to become concessionaires. The park service wary, first they wanted a singular concessionaire for the entire park and one with the financial means. The two men brought in a third partner, Dallas W. Dort, who could front them $10,000 in capital. With this new development, the park gave it a second consideration and gave the three men a three year lease. In 1933, they invested $12,000 to build Manzanita Lake Lodge, along with nine cabins. Their establishment became a popular    destination for the next four decades.

Support