Oregon Caves Chateau - Page 7

(Continued from previous page.)

Pages:  Intro & Index  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12

Photos taken in June 2004.

The Monterey Furniture: 

The Chateau at Oregon Caves is primarily furnished with antique Monterey Furniture, made by the Mason Furniture Company in Los Angeles, California. Most of the pieces are original furnishings placed in the Chateau when it opened in 1934, meaning this furniture is the more rare early-period Monterey furniture. This is likely the world's largest collection of Monterey furniture in a single location. George ("Monterey George") Mason created the Monterey furniture line, which he manufactured from 1929 until 1944. The furniture is primarily made from kiln-dried Alder wood, and features an "Early California Spanish Revival" appearance. Unfortunately, this style is not really in keeping with the Alpine architecture of the Chateau. My guess is they probably chose it for the Chateau because it was readily available and reasonably priced.

A Monterey chair. Note the wrought iron fasteners on the legs.

Oregon Caves Chateau - Page 8

(Continued from previous page.)

Pages:  Intro & Index  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12

Photos taken in June 2004.

The Oregon Chateau Guest Rooms:

The Chateau doubles as a museum due to both it's historic structure and historic furniture.  Generally day guests are permitted to walk through all public areas of the Chateau to look a the architecture and furniture.

1st Floor:

Room 101.   

Oregon Caves Chateau - Page 9

(Continued from previous page.)

Pages:  Intro & Index  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12

Photos taken in June 2004.

The 2nd Floor Guest Rooms:

Room 202.
Note that the fabrics may have changed in the years since these photos were taken.  Bedspreads and curtains have a shorter lifespan than furniture and walls.  The Friends of the Chateau periodically acquires new pieces of Monterey Furniture for this collection and so they may move pieces from room to room to try to get the best pieces for each room size and shape. This room had a remnant of orange shag carpet, no doubt from the 1970's.  I believe it has now been replaced with something more, umm, soothing.

Oregon Caves Chateau - Page 10

(Continued from previous page.)

Pages:  Intro & Index  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12

Photos taken in June 2004.

The 3rd Floor (Attic) Guest Rooms

The 3rd floor rooms are "attic" rooms, most are smaller and simpler, with sloping ceilings due to their being just below the top roof of the Chateau.

Room 301.

Oregon Caves Chateau - Page 11

(Continued from previous page.)

Pages:  Intro & Index  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12

Photos taken in June 2004.

Elizabeth, the Oregon Cave Chateau's Resident Spirit

Like most old lodges, this one has ghost stories. The resident ghost at The Chateau at Oregon Caves is "Elizabeth". The story is that Elizabeth and her new husband were honeymooning at the then just-built Chateau. She caught him cheating on her with one of the chambermaids. From this point the story varies:

• The most common version is that the distraught Elizabeth leapt to her death from the window of her room. Room 310 is almost unanimously said to be the room she stayed in, although I have heard the story using room 210. (We stayed in 210 and didn't see Elizabeth or witness any of her pranks.) If it was room 310 she had to climb out onto the roof, since the window is in a shed dormer on the roof. A quick slide down the steep, roof takes you from the window to a 6- floor drop down to the rocky creek bed below. 
• Another variation on the story is that Elizabeth didn't jump out the window, she slit her wrist and died in the bathtub of room 310. 
• Another variation has her hanging herself in the room, or possibly off the roof?

Feeling brave?  This is Elizabeth's room, number 310. She has this beautiful desk and mirror so she can look pretty for her new hubby.