A Bit of History

In the fall of 1983, a donation of vinyl flooring for the kitchen floor started a project that sparked the major renovation effort of Camp Lassen that continues today.  What happens when you remove all the sinks and dishwashing equipment along an outside wall that has not been moved in 20 or 30 years?  You find dry-rot throughout the floor and main beams of the 1933 balloon framed two story building.  Nine months later, a completely re-built kitchen was ready to go with an actual concrete foundation (no more poles and rocks), redwood sub floor and concrete floor, tile, the new vinyl, and the structural framing that included a truck load of heavy timbers from a disassembled mill in Samoa.  And don't forget all the new kitchen equipment, sinks and racks.  

This was a truly amazing project as the value of this entire project was estimated at about $250,000 in 1984.  Our actual cash expense was less than $4000.  The council had to complete this project with no budget funds as the Mount Lassen Area Council had no funds to budget.  The only part of the kitchen we did not tear out and replace was the walk in box.  It was the anchor for the upstairs when the only structure between the ceiling and the ground were beams,  poles and cross bracing.  The walkin box replacement......well, that’s still on our "To do list".

Many would say there were 2 factors that turned around the Mt Lassen Area Council, the enthusiasm generated from Camp Lassen and a Scout Executive named Hugh Nesbitt. But that’s another story.  If by chance any of you have pictures of the rebuilding of the kitchen, please drop a note as we would love to build a page in the history section of this site.  

One of the seasonal issues to the front of the lodge was the dry rot to the structural foundation, lodge floor, and porches caused by snow build up on the corners of the porch.  Renting the camp out during the spring and fall created an additional needs to have an expanded roof line over the porch and protect the building at the same time.  Add the fact that the local schools were using Camp Lassen as a host site for an outdoor environmental camp, a need to have a secondary training facility, meeting rooms, and class rooms led the council to re-truss the roof over the front office area and remodel the upstairs to a multipurpose room.  

And we were able to extend the roof line over the porches. This is another one of these projects where if you had any pictures of the project, please let us know and another page will go up in the history section.