Oscar Rankin arrived at Eagle Lake in 1907, and became the first resort owner, laying foundations for the Eagle Lake Resort on the southwest shore. He constructed several boats for patrons to use on the lake. In 1914, he built The Pelican, a twenty-seven foot galvanized metal hull that was powered with a While boiler and Stanley Steamer engine. Leon Bly used the boat to do a sounding of the depths of Eagle Lake.

Eventually the Pelican ended up at Spalding Tract. Sometime around 1953 Glen Seeber found the old hull near Spalding’s and rescued it before deer hunters or someone else might use it for target practice. It was his intent to restore it. In the February 1996 issue of the Thru-Bolt the newsletter of the Eagle Lake Sailing Association, stated that The Pelican would be on display at the Bengard residence in Janesville at their next meeting. The Sailing Association launched an effort to help Glen and recruited the historical society and Lassen College to assist.  How much restoration work was ever completed or the boat’s whereabouts remain a mystery to me.

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