The famous Ski Lodge Roof House along Route 66 in Daggett, California, will be restored and brought back to its original purpose as a visitors center.
Delvin Roy Harbour posted this bit of information Sunday on Facebook:
Terri Terry, secretary and editor for the Daggett Historical Society, confirmed the news in a text message and added:
The front of the building originally had “Welcome” painted across the top front, and it can be considered one of the earliest California Welcome Centers, so we are converting it back to its original use – albeit without the inspection and registration part. It may be the only one of its kind left. There were others with the same sloped and under turned roof design across the street from other early inspection stations, but I don’t know of any others still standing. Daryl has been working on restoring the building, but we do not have a completion date yet. We hope to add it to the Daggett Museum’s outdoor exhibits like the Stone Hotel and the Thistle General Store. By 1930 a new California inspection and registration station was built on the east side of town and the old buildings were sold. The sloped roof house has been privately owned since then.
Terry stated the historical society just recently received the lease for the building. Those who wish to donate to help restore the building can use a membership and donation form on the last page of its monthly newsletter, they can request a form from its Facebook page or they can send an email to daggetthistoricalsociety@gmail.com.
The house, also known as they Ski Slope Lodge or Russian House, was built in 1926 as a visitor center and gas station. The old California Agricultural Inspection Station mentioned in John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” was across the road from the ski lodge building.
The house also is down the street from the only Route 66 Inspection Station still in existence – the one that was built in 1940 to replace the earlier station.
The home later was converted into a land-development office and then Ma Millet’s Cafe until 1947. It’s largely been a residence ever since.
(Image of the Ski Lodge Roof House in 2006 in Daggett, California, courtesy of The Lope)
Very cool!