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Golden Empire Council
P.O. Box 13558
Sacramento, CA 95853-3558
(916) 929-1417 | (800) 427-1417
info@gec-bsa.org

History

  •  Richard B Eaton
  •      The Last Campfire
  •              Peter Lassen Story
    Misc Memorabilia
  • Knights of Dumimas 1924 to 1950
  •       Secretary Notes
  • Mount Lassen Area Council
  • Order of the Arrow
  • Founders of Camp Lassen

  • Submit your stories and photos

Construction of the Main Lodge

We are very fortunate that throughout of the many cleanings, sorting and tossing of the camp paperwork, the original folders and pictures of the construction of the main lodge was not lost.   These are the original WPA progress reports from 2 different jobs superintendents dating from November of 1935 to May of 1936. 


               

       Cover Plate 1                              Cover Plate 2                               Cover Plate 3 
       Plate 1a                                        Plate 2a                                        Plate 3a
       Plate 1b                                        Plate 2b                                        Plate 3b

That’s right; the Main Lodge was build through a jobs program during the Great Depression.  No, it was not built for the logging mills that existed in Chico Meadows in the 1800’s and the early 1910’s. These folders are a fascinating look at the construction methods of the period.  You can find many interesting scribbles, notes and hidden surprises if you can enlarge the photos large enough.    You’ll see cars parked under trees around the meadow, workers on top of the roof framing and how the space sheeting was framed that helped lead to the collapse of the lodge in 1937.


        

       Cover Plate 4                                Cover Plate 5                                Cover Plate 6 
       Plate 4a                                         Plate 5a                                          Plate 6a
       Plate 4b                                         Plate 5b                                          Plate 6b

We don’t know if there were any plates after #10, but there is an unrelated photo we have that shows the interior of completed lodge in 1936.  Wow, what it would have been like to see the finished Lodge. It was truly amazing.  You won’t see the support poles that now carry the roof load nor the finished ceiling panels where now it just open wood framing.  And you’ll see the interior of the natural cedar siding that is now covered with plywood due to the 1960’s earthquake safety standards upgrades.


        

        Cover Plate 7                                 Cover Plate 8                               Cover Plate 9 
        Plate 7a                                          Plate 8a                                         Plate 9a
        Plate 7b                                          Plate 8b                                         Plate 9b
 

All and all, it’s a wonderful look at the vision that the leaders of the Mount Lassen Area Council had for Camp Lassen.  We hope you enjoy.  If you happen to have any access to photos dating back to that period, please drop a note if you would like to share.  As we have found out, this history is being lost every year as a good many the Scouts of the 1930’s are no longer with us.   
     
      
                  

          Cover Plate 10                                  Inside the Lodge                             After the Collapse  
          Plate 10a                                                                           
          Plate 10b