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Summary
Seven Pines Lodge
Town of Clam Falls, Polk County
Builder: John "Ole" Mangseth
Dates of construction: 1903 to 1910
The broad axes, hatchets, and shaving knives that Norwegian builder John "Ole" Mangseth used to construct the Seven Pines Lodge still hang on the walls of the nearly unaltered interior of the Seven Pines Lodge. The resort is even more impressive because all the buildings that encompass the property have remained virtually untouched, including the original furnishings and wall decorations adorning the lodge.
The Seven Pines Lodge encompasses 66 acres and includes a main lodge, caretaker's house, gatehouse, stream house, water tower, and pool, most built from white pine logs harvested at the site.
Surrounded by towering pine trees, the lodge reflects a rustic lifestyle that came into vogue for wealthy Americans in the early 1900s. With encouragement from outdoorsman President Theodore Roosevelt, American interest in conservation and wilderness preservation blossomed at the beginning of the twentieth century, leading many to escape the cities to reinvigorate themselves among beautiful natural settings. Charles E. Lewis, a Minnesota wheat broker, was one of the wealthy who adopted this pastime. In 1900, he bought a tract of land in rural Clam Falls, Wisconsin (later Lewis) that he hoped to utilize as a conservation project, investment, and personal estate. Soon after, he hired a builder to construct the main lodge and, later (around 1910), the additional buildings. Lewis established a fish hatchery and farm at the estate and, in 1910, he founded the village of Lewis. Prominent visitors, including Calvin Coolidge, visited the Seven Pines Lodge to enjoy superb fishing and hospitality. In the 1920s, Lewis tried to sell the estate to the state in order to turn it into a park so that it would be preserved after his death. Even though Lewis's repeated attempts to turn Seven Pines Lodge into a park failed, the complex has been maintained as a private resort complex.
The Seven Pines Lodge is a privately owned. Please respect the rights of the owner and guests.
Property Details
Resources Within The Property
Designations
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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