Itasca State Park: Forest Inn – Park Rapids MN

Description

“The Forest Inn is one of the largest buildings constructed by the CCC in the state park system, with overall dimensions of 144-foot by 50-foot. The T-shaped combination building features both split stone and log construction and is covered by an intersecting gable roof supported by log rafters and purlins.

The principal facade includes a central entrance as well as north and south wings. The entrance projects from the main facade and is flanked by massive 7-foot by 7-foot-6-inch stone pylons. The north wing consists of a split stone wall which rises to the sill level with 13-inch to 14-inch horizontal logs with saddle-notched corners above. The south wing is divided into three bays by battered stone piers. Log brackets rest on each pier and support broad overhanging eaves. Window openings are 8-light casement sash organized in groups of two or three.

The interior originally contained a refectory in the central portion of the building, a souvenir mart in the north wing, and rest rooms and a meeting room with a split stone fireplace in the south wing. Although the refectory has been removed, the remaining areas of the Inn still retain their original function. The most impressive feature of the interior is a massive log truss system of almost Herculean proportions. A series of log-constructed lighting fixtures was also designed for the interior.

The Forest Inn was built by the 200 members of the CCC camp SP-19. The stone crew consisted of about 30 men who had gained experience during the construction of 11 stone buildings at Sibley State Park. Eight of the men did the actual stone laying while the rest were involved in locating, hauling and splitting the stone. Stone for the walkways were scrap pieces from the quarries and stone works of the St. Cloud area. The logs used in the building came from the park. Pine was used for the walls and balsam fir was selected for some of the rafter logs. Ole Evensen, a woodsman who had been involved with the construction of the log buildings at Scenic State Park, supervised the log work. The iron work for the lighting fixtures and doors was made by John Wiber, the blacksmith foreman at the CCC camp.”