The following photo taken in 1940 shows one of the buildings at what was known at the time as Rudge's Green River Gorge Resort. It was located on the east side of the single lane bridge crossing the Green River Gorge that we still use to this day. It appears to be located right where the road bends sharply south and close to the former Vagabond Motor Inn - the hill in the background appears to be the Franklin hill on the west side.
Photo courtesy of Bill Kombol and Palmer Coking Coal, circa 1940
According to King County Assessor records provided by Bill Kombol, the Rudge family, who owned the resort back then, also owned a gas station nearby known as Jack's Place. Owner John Rudge was of Welsh heritage and a miner then living in Cumberland. Unfortunately, the building pictured above was torn down in 1950 and we can find no remains today of this building or the gas station.
For a really fun description of Rudge's Green River Resort dating back to the 1920's, the promotional pamplet published in 1925 by Louis Jacobin called "A Glimpse of a Charmed Land" provides a great description of the resort"
"The vale above the gorge is also a wonderland, particularly that part of it known as 'Rudge's Green River Gorge,' with its neat hotel, service station, fine cabins, superb parking grounds and ample and modern conveniences for picnic parties, camping parties, playgrounds for children and private dancing auditorium and reception rooms. Rudge's place is a grassy haven beneath the sheltering boughs of beautiful forest trees by the side of mountain streams and cool spurting fountains, and right by the side of the main public highway which leads away through forest edens, rural gardens and on into the most enchanted wonderland ever claimed by civilization."
Now if that isn't marketing prose at it's best, circa 1920's or 2013, I don't know what is. Several years ago I was able to purchase a copy of the full "A Glimpse of a Charmed Land" brochure from the Black Diamond Historical Society at the museum. It's full of great descriptions of area resorts during the 1920's including those that once operated here at Lake Sawyer, Lake 12 and Lake Wilderness. For more history and information about the Gorge, just search this blog for "Green River Gorge" or follow this link.
Thanks again Bill for sharing.
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