Silcox Hut
About this property
The Silcox Hut is a small rustic mid-mountain lodge located at 6,950 feet (2,120 m) elevation on Mount Hood, Oregon, United States. It is approximately 1,000 feet (300 m) vertical above Timberline Lodge and roughly one mile distance directly up the mountain. Silcox Hut was built by the WPA and finished in 1939. It was named after Ferdinand Silcox, the fifth Chief of the Forest Service, 1933–1939. The hut was the upper terminal of the original Magic Mile chairlift and housed the lift's upper bullwheel in what is now the guest sleeping quarters. It was also intended as a warming hut and starting point for climbers. After the chairlift was relocated in 1962, it was abandoned and became derelict due to vandalism and fierce mountain weather. In 1966, the Portland State University Outdoor Program leased the Hut. The students of the Program made a few improvements to the hut including repairs to the fireplace hearth and new window shutters. Program Alumni consider this lease the first action taken to save Silcox Hut. There was discussion between the US Forest Service and Timberline Lodge to burn down the hut because of its condition. Even though the Program enjoyed access to the mountain provided by Silcox Hut, they could not counter the seemingly constant vandalism and had to relinquish the lease. Silcox Hut was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. In the same year, the Friends of Silcox Hut was created as a non-profit organization. The initial restoration proposal was made by climbing enthusiasts and guides, and it was their intention to operate the facility. Over the course of the late 1980s and early 1990s, The Friends of Silcox Hut renovated and reopened Silcox to the public in 1993. Although they intended it partially as an overnight hostel and restaurant for climbers, it is now rented out to groups of up to 24 for overnight lodging and hearty meals by RLK, the operators of Timberline Lodge. It is available for group day use such as weddings and anniversaries. The Friends of Silcox received several awards for its restoration, including the People's Choice Award and the Craftsmanship Award from the Portland AIA Awards Program in 1993. The Friends of Silcox Hut carries on as a non-profit maintenance and special projects group to protect the integrity of the restoration. Its board is entirely made up of architects and craftsmen and others deeply involved in the original restoration. Lifetime and annual memberships are available with all proceeds supporting restoration efforts. Recent special projects included a snow tunnel for the south entrance engineered to withstand 25 feet of compacted snow.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Silcox Hut
This page lists Silcox Hut. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Silcox Hut listed on the National Register?
Silcox Hut was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 19, 1985.
What type of historic resource is Silcox Hut?
Silcox Hut is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Silcox Hut?
The period of significance for Silcox Hut is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Silcox Hut?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Silcox Hut will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Clackamas County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Clackamas County.
Explore ClackamasCounty ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Silcox Hut will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.