#3979 - Patrick Creek Lodge, Gasquet, CA - 2/28/2020

Patrick Creek Lodge, Gasquet, California

I had never heard of historic Patrick Creek Lodge before earlier this very day, when I stumble across a few photos of it in a local history book in a tavern in Smith River, CA. But after I passed the sign just off Highway 99 in the middle of the Six Rivers National Forest and just a few miles south of the Oregon border, I swung the the car around and headed back, hoping they had a lounge. The large sign out front was encouraging, promising "Food Booze Snooze," the marquee below the sign noting "Happy 90th Birthday, Bob." As it happened, Bob's birthday party was just wrapping up as I stepped inside. Bob himself sat at the end of the bar, and seems to have retained plenty of piss and vinegar, shouting at one of his many guests "Jesus Christ, I'm 90 years old! Take the fucking picture!"

The lodge seems like a pretty nice place to spend a night or two, especially in the summer time when the pool is open or you could take a dip in the Smith River, said by some to be "considered the cleanest river in the U.S." The bar is serviceable, and there is a cozy front room with a substantial rock fireplace. One may need to be cautious in the area at night, however, as not only have there been multiple bigfoot sightings nearby, but the lodge itself is haunted:

"Dating back to 1926, the historic inn and restaurant is rumoured to be haunted by a spirit known as Maude. The story goes that her fiancé jilted her on the day of their wedding, and the distraught young woman hanged herself in Room 16. Ever since, strange occurrences have taken place in that particular suite, as well as in the main dining room." (hauntedplaces.org)

One suspects that the spirit of Maude and the regular bigfoot traffic contributed to the lodge serving as the setting for the 2014 "perfect combination of cheesy love story and campy monster movie" Love in the Time of Monsters.

Meanwhile, the non-supernatural history of the lodge was nicely summarized by Jefferson Public Radio:

"Around 1900, George Dunn built Patrick Creek Stage Station in northern California to serve travelers on the Gasquet (gas KEY) Toll Road. He sold meals for twenty-five cents.

After Dunn was murdered for $7.50 worth of gold, Lew Higgins purchased the building; later, it was sold to the Raymond family who operated it successfully for several years. The station’s lodge burned in 1919.

Bar at the Patrick Creek Lodge, Gasquet, CA
(Birthday boy Bob at far right)

The Raymonds built a new lodge four miles downstream on Patrick Creek, beside the route of the planned Redwood Highway—Highway 199. Completed in 1926, Highway 199 greatly improved travel from Crescent City, California, to Grants Pass, Oregon. The new lodge opened May 8, 1926. Originally called “Patrick Creek Tavern,” it is now known as “Patrick Creek Lodge,” and it has had several owners.

Since 1926 the lodge has remained a welcome place for rest and refreshment, midway between the coast and the Rogue Valley. Today the lodge is fitted with modern conveniences, although guests may still enjoy the ambience of the original rooms, the big sitting room with its fireplace, and the dining room overlooking the creek."

(ijpr.org)

13950 US-199, Gasquet, CA 95543 - (707) 457-3323
Bar Est. ? - Building constructed: 1926
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: patrickcreeklodge.com - facebook 
Reviews: jeffersonpublicradio - bindutrips - yelp - tripadvisor - hauntedplaces - 101things