Columbia Gorge Hotel

Hotel Description

-PROPERTY DESCRIPTION-IN 1921 OREGON LUMBER MAGNATE AND PHILANTHROPISTSIMON BENSON OBSERVED IN PART OF THE REGIONFLEDGLING TOURISM INDUSTRY WE HAVE BUILT GOODROADS AND INVITED THE WORLD TO COME VIEW OURBEAUTY SPOTS BUT WE HAVE DONE NOTHING TOWARDTAKING CARE OF THEM AFTER THEY ARRIVE. IN RESPONSETO THAT NEED BENSON BUILT THE COLUMBIA GORGEHOTEL.OUR PROPERTY WAS FIRST DESCRIBED IN THE LEWIS ANDCLARK JOURNALS AND ORIGINALLY THE SITE OF PHELPSMILL IN THE MID-1800S AFTER WHICH OUR CREEK ISNAMED. THE MILL MADE STAVES FOR THE WHISKEYBARRELS CARRIED BY MULES FROM HOOD RIVER TO THEEAST.IN 1904 HOOD RIVER PIONEER ROBERT RAND CAPITALIZEDON THE AREA SPECTACULAR BEAUTY BY CONSTRUCTING THEWAH GWIN GWIN HOTEL NAMED FOR THE 208 WATERFALL ONTHE PROPERTY. THE HOTEL OPERATED SUCCESSFULLY AS ASUMMER RESORT FOR 17 YEARS UNTIL IT WAS DEMOLISHEDBY SIMON BENSON TO MAKE WAY FOR HIS NEW HOTEL. THELAYOUT OF THE GROUNDS AND TRAILS THAT WEREDEVELOPED BY RAND REMAINED THE SETTING FOR THE NEWCOLUMBIA GORGE HOTEL.THE HOTEL WAS DESIGNED BY PORTLAND ARCHITECTMORRIS H. WHITEHOUSE AS THE HOTEL BENSON ANDCONSTRUCTED IN LESS THAN A YEAR. THE ITALIANSTONEMASONS BROUGHT OVER TO WORK ON THE NEWCOLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY BUILT THE STONE WALLS ANDBRIDGES FOR BENSONS NEW WALDORF OF THE WEST. THEWOODEN BEAMS VISIBLE IN THE PUBLIC AREAS AREACTUALLY MADE OF PLASTER AND REQUIRED FIVEARTISANS WORKING IN CONCERT TO CONSTRUCT.ON JUNE 21 1921 THE COLUMBIA GORGE HOTEL OPENEDWITH A GRAND RECEPTION AND QUICKLY DEVELOPED ANINTERNATIONAL REPUTATION. NOTABLE VISITORS IN THEEARLY YEARS INCLUDED PRESIDENTS ROOSEVELT ANDCOOLIDGE PLUS ACTRESSES CLARA BOW MYRNA LOY JANEPOWELL AND SHIRLEY TEMPLE. THE HOTEL IS RUMORED TOHAVE BEEN A FAVORITE HIDEAWAY FOR RUDOLPHVALENTINO AFTER WHOM OUR VALENTINO LOUNGE ISNAMED.DURING THE DEPRESSION THE HOTEL FELL ON HARD TIMESAND WAS PURCHASED BY THE NEIGHBORS OF WOODCRAFT ASA RETIREMENT HOME. IT REMAINED FOR A QUARTER OF ACENTURY UNTIL THE ONGOING RESTORATION BEGAN IN1977. PRIVATELY OWNED AND OPERATED THE COLUMBIAGORGE HOTEL CONTINUES TO BE AN ELEGANT OASIS INTHE HEART OF THE COLUMBIA GORGE NATIONAL SCENICAREA. RENOWNED FOR ITS DRAMATIC SURROUNDINGS ANDAWARD-WINNING CUISINE THE COLUMBIA GORGE HOTEL ISTHE PERFECT PLACE FOR AN EXTENDED ESCAPE OR AMEMORABLE EVENING.