Historic Hood River
Battle Axe Inn
8-13-2020
Notes
This postcard of the Battle Axe Inn on Mt. Hood appears to be from the late 1940s. If you recall this inn played an important role in the first rescue performed by the Crag Rats in 1927. The inn was destroyed by fire November 7, 1950.
Charlott
I have a long time native to Government Camp friend. Her husband (prior to their marriage) I believe had a room in Battle Ax Inn. I will attempt to get further information from her…
L.E.
Beautiful building. The history of the name must be interesting.
Charlott
This was constructed by Albert Krieg and his son of Hood River for Everett Sickler for $3,600 in 1925. Sickler had worked in a big inn like this in Yellowstone and had this dream. He wished it to be a log structure, but full logs would have been a cost issue. So it was built of wood and then covered with half logs.
Sickler ran it until 1929 when he sold it for $23,000 to Henry and Margaret Viller. During the depression like everything else they did suffer. However they hung in there and sold it after WWII to Gertrude Jones in 1947 for $85,000. Eventually due to health problems she turned it back to Margaret Viller, now a widow. The last two years of the buildings life it was owned and operated by Warren Huff.
It is believed that the fire that destroyed it was from a torch that a plumber was using on some pipe work he was doing. Due to fire personnel having to come up the hill from ZigZag there was no hope to saving it. Such a hot fire that it melted the pavement out front and did some damage from heat to the building across the street.
I remember going over there with my father after the fire..
Kenn
Never stayed the night but had many meals in the restaurant admiring the structure, good memories.
nels
Was this located up on the mountain or at Government Camp?
Charlott
Located in downtown Government Camp.
Kenn Lantz
Just west of the present Huckleberry Inn.
Charlott
Spoke with my friend. She said the building at the right, was further up the hill in the beginning. It was where the tobaggan run from Summit ended. In the early days prior to being moved to next door to Battle Ax Inn the Inn had 4 cabins in that area. They were later moved behind Battle Ax. Her husband, at the time was a young man and there were about three very small rooms in the attic and he rented one of them, as he worked for ODT. He was at work when the fire broke out and lost everything he owned, skis, all of his clothing.
She says that Battle Ax was located where Huckleberry Inn is today. She should know, as she moved to Gov't Camp when she was 4 years old and well into her 80's now.