Drakesbad Guest Ranch
Encyclopedia
Drakesbad Guest Ranch, also known simply as Drakesbad, is a resort near Chester, California
. It is located on Hot Springs Creek at the head of Warner Valley
, in Lassen Volcanic National Park
.
and resumed trapping in the mountains. Drake settled in the Hot Springs Valley valley at some point in the late 1870s, building a cabin and eventually assembling about 400 acres (161.9 ha) encompassing a number of thermal features associate with the area's volcanism. Drake kept cattle at the homestead during the summer and moved back to Prattville during the winter. Drake sold "Drake's Hot Springs and Ranch" to Alexander Sifford in 1900.
Alexander Sifford, a schoolteacher from Susanville
, came to the valley in 1900 to drink the mineral waters in hopes of relieving "nervous exhaustion." Sifford stayed for three days and agreed to buy the property from Drake for $5000, giving Drake the right to continue to use the land. The Siffords established a guest ranch on the property, expanding Drake's bathhouse and guest cabin. In 1901 the Siffords bough a non-contiguous 40 acres (16.2 ha) parcel that included a portion of Boiling Springs Lake. Initially calling the place the "Mount Lassen Hot Springs Hotel", the Siffords settled on "Drakesbad" as the final name in 1908. From 1912 an infusion of capital allowed the Siffords to build a dining room and kitchen and twenty tent platforms, allowing them to charge higher rates. The family drained the willow flats around the property through a network of ditches, creating meadows which they harvested for hay. The 1914-15 eruptions of Lassen Peak
brought tourists to the area, greatly increasing business at Drakesbad. When the national park was established, Drakesbad offered a convenient base for Park Service personnel to survey the area. Describing the camp as "crude", the park's first superintendent admitted that the food was good and proposed that the park's headquarters be built just to the east of Drakesbad.Cultural Landscape Report, p. 10
Planning for the new park's road network intentionally bypassed the Warner Valley Road, in part because significant improvements would increase the value of the Sifford property, making its acquisition by the Park Service more difficult.Cultural Landscape Report, p. 11 By 1936 the Siffrods had built a fishing pond called Dream Lake and four frame cabins.Cultural Landscape Report, p. 12
The original Drake lodge was destroyed by the weight of winter snows during the winter of 1937-38. The pond had washed out, and most of the other facilities were damaged in some way, while the roads were nearly impassible.Cultural Landscape Report, p. 13
During World War II the Siffords raised cattle on their land under the S-Bar brand, continuing to raise cattle until 1951.
The Sifford family managed the ranch as a popular hunting and vacation resort until selling the 400 acres (1.6 km²) property to the National Park Service
in 1953. During the 1960s the property was upgraded with guest cabins, a pool and a bath house.
The resort is at 5700 feet (1,737.4 m) altitude, features kerosene lamps - although the lodge was electrified in the 1990s - and has no room keys.
on October 22, 2003.
A November 2007 Los Angeles Times Travel
feature article includes it within a top 15 list of California places to visit.
Chester, California
Chester is a census-designated place in Plumas County, California, United States. Chester is located on Lake Almanor, north-northwest of Quincy. The town is located along State Route 36. The US Postal Service ZIP code for the community is 96020...
. It is located on Hot Springs Creek at the head of Warner Valley
Warner Valley, California
Warner Valley is a census-designated place in Plumas County, California. Warner Valley sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Warner Valley's population was 2.-Geography:...
, in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park is a United States National Park in northeastern California. The dominant feature of the park is Lassen Peak; the largest plug dome volcano in the world and the southern-most volcano in the Cascade Range...
.
History
The original ranch was founded in the 1880s by Edward R. Drake (1830-1904). Drake was a trapper and miner who settled down to operate a tavern near Bidwell Bar, California. As mining declined Drake moved to PrattvillePrattville, California
Prattville is a census-designated place in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 33 at the 2010 census, up from 28 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Prattville is located at ....
and resumed trapping in the mountains. Drake settled in the Hot Springs Valley valley at some point in the late 1870s, building a cabin and eventually assembling about 400 acres (161.9 ha) encompassing a number of thermal features associate with the area's volcanism. Drake kept cattle at the homestead during the summer and moved back to Prattville during the winter. Drake sold "Drake's Hot Springs and Ranch" to Alexander Sifford in 1900.
Alexander Sifford, a schoolteacher from Susanville
Susanville, California
Susanville is the county seat of Lassen County, California, United States. Susanville is located on the Susan River in the south-central part of the county, at an elevation of 4186 feet . The population was 17,974 at the 2010 census, up from 13,541 at the 2000 census...
, came to the valley in 1900 to drink the mineral waters in hopes of relieving "nervous exhaustion." Sifford stayed for three days and agreed to buy the property from Drake for $5000, giving Drake the right to continue to use the land. The Siffords established a guest ranch on the property, expanding Drake's bathhouse and guest cabin. In 1901 the Siffords bough a non-contiguous 40 acres (16.2 ha) parcel that included a portion of Boiling Springs Lake. Initially calling the place the "Mount Lassen Hot Springs Hotel", the Siffords settled on "Drakesbad" as the final name in 1908. From 1912 an infusion of capital allowed the Siffords to build a dining room and kitchen and twenty tent platforms, allowing them to charge higher rates. The family drained the willow flats around the property through a network of ditches, creating meadows which they harvested for hay. The 1914-15 eruptions of Lassen Peak
Lassen Peak
Lassen Peak is the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range. It is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc which is an arc that stretches from northern California to southwestern British Columbia...
brought tourists to the area, greatly increasing business at Drakesbad. When the national park was established, Drakesbad offered a convenient base for Park Service personnel to survey the area. Describing the camp as "crude", the park's first superintendent admitted that the food was good and proposed that the park's headquarters be built just to the east of Drakesbad.
Planning for the new park's road network intentionally bypassed the Warner Valley Road, in part because significant improvements would increase the value of the Sifford property, making its acquisition by the Park Service more difficult.
The original Drake lodge was destroyed by the weight of winter snows during the winter of 1937-38. The pond had washed out, and most of the other facilities were damaged in some way, while the roads were nearly impassible.
During World War II the Siffords raised cattle on their land under the S-Bar brand, continuing to raise cattle until 1951.
The Sifford family managed the ranch as a popular hunting and vacation resort until selling the 400 acres (1.6 km²) property to the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
in 1953. During the 1960s the property was upgraded with guest cabins, a pool and a bath house.
The resort is at 5700 feet (1,737.4 m) altitude, features kerosene lamps - although the lodge was electrified in the 1990s - and has no room keys.
Historic designation
The Drakesbad Guest Ranch was listed in the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on October 22, 2003.
A November 2007 Los Angeles Times Travel
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
feature article includes it within a top 15 list of California places to visit.
External links
- Official site: Drakesbad Guest Ranch
- Drakesbad Guest Ranch Cultural Landscape Report, National Park Service