In 1909, Charles D. Willson obtained the first use-permit from the Crater National Forest and built a small hotel on 10.4 acres at Rocky Point on the northwest shore of Upper Klamath Lake.
The location in the present-day Winema National Forest was named Leavitt’s Point after Arthur L. Leavitt, who was president of the Klamath Falls City Council. His presence at the location was described as “two tents in a little space knocked out of the brush.” By 1902, the name changed to Rocky Point.
In July 1910, the Crater Lake Transportation Company began carrying passengers in its steamboat, the Klamath, from Klamath Falls to the Rocky Point Resort. Passengers could continue to Crater Lake by automobile or bus, reducing the combined trip to a record-breaking seven hours.
Lack of customers over the years resulted in the abandonment of the resort until 1946 when Lloyd and Florence Thomas signed a 99-year lease with the U.S. Forest Service and began renovations in earnest. The resort became a favorite for fishermen and bird watchers.
The present-day resort is open from April to November.
Source: Jenner, Gail L., and Bernita L. Tickner. Historic Inns and Eateries in the State of Jefferson: A Tasty, Traveling History. Tahlequa, Old American Publishing, 2010, pp. 69-70.
