MILEPOSTS #1012
By Ken Brafman, Image from Ken Brafman Collection
TITLE: ROCKWOOD LODGE IN TWIN PEAKS: Patterned after an old Norse hunting lodge, Rockwood Lodge began construction on then Strawberry Flat in 1915. It was built by a civil engineer and early mountain resident named Arthur E. Scoles. Scoles grew up in Scandinavia, and upon retirement he decided to fulfill his dream of building a lodge in the woods like those he remembered from his childhood. He spent five years on the project. His engineering background included assignments such as railroad construction in Africa, and the skills he learned enabled him and his wife to make best use of the natural materials at the site. The lodge boasted using every species of tree on the mountain. Rockwood was built to last. After trees for beams were stripped of their bark they were soaked twice in oil to prevent rot and termite infestation. Scoles used slices of trunks for exterior fascia, some as wide as four feet in diameter, with stonework at the base. Stones were also used to patch any gaps in the wall. If a large boulder happened to be in the way it was simply incorporated into the design. Large tree branches became ceiling beams while smaller ones were used to make window frames. The property drew much attention over the years. The US Forestry Department issued a commendation and described the lodge as the most unique of its type. Rockwood has appeared in countless periodicals and newspaper stories. This week’s image is taken from the cover of the Historical Homes Magazine circa 1950s. Current owner Kelly Flint acquired the property in 2017 and, after extensive updates, reopened the lodge in 2018 as Rockwood Cabins. Early owners, the Ortmans, met with Scoles in 1938 to try and settle a mystery of whether a small chest containing gold along with a visitors record was hidden within the masonry. Scoles only smiled and nodded. “It’s the secret of Rockwood.”