National Register of Historic Places
The Snowy Range Lodge (SRL) was built by entrepreneurs in the high country—elevation 8500 ft. It was begun in 1919 and because of the short construction time, it was completed in 1924. It was considered to be the largest and finest of five hunting lodges in Wyoming’s 400,000 acre Medicine Bow National Forest. The Lodge is 31 miles west of Laramie, WY, and 2.5 miles from Centennial, WY. It sits on a 2.01 acre tract of land on secluded Barber Lake Rd. that was formerly a tie hack camp called Silver City. The Lodge was designed by noted architect Wilbur Hitchcock, who was also the designer of numerous buildings that, along with the SRL, are now on the National Register of Historic Places. The three story structure was constructed entirely of logs harvested onsite. It was once the primary building in a resort complex that also included ten log cabins, a horse barn, a corral, and a fishing pond called Rosemary Lake.
The original foundation was made of huge stones recovered from the remains of cabins in the mining camp. There are 7,442 sq ft of floor space inside the building. An exterior porch wraps around two sides of the building. The second floor of the porch overlooks Libby Creek. Wild roses, Indian paintbrush (the Wyoming state flower), iris, and fireweed surround the property. Hummingbirds and mountain Blue Jays visit frequently. Moose can sometimes be seen wading in Rosemary Lake as they munch on green willow shoots growing along the banks. Rarely, a bear has visited the area!
The First Floor Today
The 3,000 sq ft main floor has a Great Room for gatherings, and a living room with a stone fireplace and vaulted ceiling. The fireplace was the work of local stone mason "Pop" Schlotzer, a WWI veteran who was also known for his fine wood carvings. The first floor contains two bathrooms and a kitchen with a large wood-burning cook stove. The stove was used in a sheep-shearing camp on a nearby ranch.
The Great Room has accommodated up to 175 guests at sit-down dinners, with accompanying live music and dancing. The famous dance band conductor, Glen Miller, played there in the 1930s. A local historian even claims the old “rough rider" himself, Teddy Roosevelt, may have stayed there during one of his many trips out west
The second floor contains four bedrooms, a sitting room, a large dining room, and two bathrooms. The first and second floors are connected by an outside, an inside stairway, and an inside freight elevator. A second-floor balcony overlooks the living room and is a great place to relax. The second floor porch can be accessed from the balcony. The third floor is currently the caretaker's quarters. It contains a bedroom and a huge open space with abundant light from six skylights.
A propane boiler in an out-building supplies hot-water heat to most of the Lodge. A lovely aspen forest on the north side of the Lodge is a popular site for weddings. Rosemary Lake is another popular wedding site and a place for contemplation.
The current owners of the SRL purchased the property in 1979. Extensive restoration work, including a new concrete foundation and numerous upgrades, began in 1979 and was completed in 1989. The most recent upgrade has been installation of a metal roof for improved fire protection. For the last 37 years the owners have had an active event business that includes weddings, wedding receptions, family reunions, memorial services, etc.
The SRL is located in some of the finest outdoor recreation country in the U.S. It is five miles from the Snowy Range Ski Area, a 990-ft vertical drop, with 33 trails, and 10 miles from 12,018-ft Medicine Bow Peak. Back country trails are everywhere. Hiking, climbing the Peak, or skiing and snowboarding are available even during the summer. Guided rafting and float fishing trips are available in nearby Saratoga (46 miles), home of Hobo Hot Springs, where visitors can soak in steaming hot pools while breathing clean, frosty air in winter.
Nearby Centennial (2.5 miles) was a gold-mining town established on July 4, 1876. It has a gas station, a motel, and a historic Hotel. cafés, a museum, a country store with crafts and handmade ice cream, a Post Office, and a library. The town is a popular site for musical events.