Whether you’re traveling, a student, or are just curious to know more about Lake Chelan, there’s so much to learn about the history of this special region. To help enrich your knowledge of Lake Chelan’s history, we’ve compiled a list of historical spots to visit during your next visit.
Lucas Homestead
The Lucas Homestead is a fun and memorable spot to add to your checklist of historical locations to visit during your next trip to Lake Chelan.
Built in the early 1900s, a man named Frank Lucas settled in Chelan from Belgium with his wife, Elizabeth Lucas. Upon settling, they built a brick homestead on the slopes of the Chelan Butte and had a family.
Today, the remains of the Lucas Homestead can still be seen standing on the beautiful slopes of the Chelan Butte by those hiking along the trail.
The hike is 2.6 miles round trip and is considered to be a moderate hike, so bring the family along! Once you arrive at the location, park your car and hike 1.3 miles up an abandoned and overgrown dirt road that angles to the south. At the top of the ridge, follow the road down the next drainage. Within a half mile, you’ll see the homestead below.
Earthquake Point
Another great historical spot to visit is Earthquake Point. Local Native Americans coined this site “Broken Mountain” in the late 1800s. This landmark was home to one of the most historical earthquakes in Washington State’s history.
In December 1872, an earthquake ranging from a 6.5 – 7.0 scale split the mountain (now known as “Split Cliff”). During the earthquake, a giant landslide fell into the Columbia River and stopped water flow for several hours.
Now, travelers can drive by and check out this historical site where the natural event caused the formation of Split Cliff.
Chelan Museum
If you’re looking to learn more about Lake Chelan’s history, there’s no better place than the Chelan Museum.
Interestingly enough, the building that this museum occupies was originally a bank for miners and merchants and was established in 1902. However, the bank was built five years later in 1907 and remained operational until 1955.
It wasn’t until 1970 when James Lindston started the Lake Chelan Historical Society and opened the Chelan Museum.
It is an excellent place to visit and check out all of Lake Chelan’s roots!
Lady of the Lake
Boats have been the main way of getting up and down the 50 miles of Lake Chelan water. However, there has never been a boat quite like the Lady of the Lake.
After being built in Lakeside by the Alger brothers in 1900 and launching on August 25th, the Lady of the Lake’s original size was 113 feet long and was used to charter passengers, mail, and food to various stops all along the lake. Once the upper deck cabins were assembled on the boat, the charter could transport up to 125 passengers at a time.
The boat is still operational and continues to charter travelers up and down the beautiful shores of Lake Chelan. In fact, the Lake Chelan Boat Company now has a fleet of 3 boats, Lady of the Lake, Lady Express, and Lady Liberty, to cover all the needs folks might have or want to get around Lake Chelan. So be sure to head over to catch a ride on the Lady of the Lake and check out the entire lake with the family.
Stay at The Lodge
As you can see, Lake Chelan is home to a lot of remarkable history. Likewise, Mountain View Lodge is celebrating 30 years of business in 2022. As a fixture in the Lake Chelan community, we’re proud to be part of the history of this amazing community.
Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (509) 687-9505 to book your perfect stay and help build the perfect itinerary for your next trip to Lake Chelan!