Anita Halmøy Wisløff-Menteer and Erik Sims Wisløff-Menteer, owners of the Log Lodge in Rhododendron and Bestie’s Coffee, were awarded an Oregon State Historic Preservation Office (OSHPO) grant in July to aid with the restoration of the historic log building, originally constructed by William Lenz in 1929.

“We’re very happy to be recognized,” Anita said. “We were drawn to the
building originally because it has a lot of soul and stories. We definitely knew
how much work it would be.”

The OSHPO "Diamonds in the Rough" grants provide funding to restore or
reconstruct the facades of historic buildings that have been heavily altered
and return them to their original appearance. The reconstruction is funded by
the state in an effort to qualify buildings for historic register designation (local
or national).

The Log Lodge, located at 73330 Hwy. 26 in Rhododendron, is one of several
log structures and frame buildings built by Lenz in the Mount Hood region
during the 1920s and 30s. Other notable public houses constructed by Lenz
include the Barlow Trail Inn, the Brightwood Tavern and the Traveler’s Roost,
now known as the Zigzag Inn and Restaurant.

“The lodge has near 100 years of history to it. We’re hoping by restoring it
that it’ll have many more,” Erik said.

The building was originally used as a music or meeting hall and then became
a bar named the Log Lodge from the 1940s to the 1970s. The couple intend to
keep the name and return the building to its use as a public house and lounge
where locals and visitors to the mountain can congregate for drinks and good
food.

“The lodge has a great room with a double-sided fireplace that is very iconic
of the region,” Erik said.

The couple has enlisted David C. Rogers, renowned regional log builder and
preservation expert, for the reconstruction process, as well as PMA Architects.
“We’re not just putting a band-aid on it,” Erik said about the couple’s
commitment to maintain key structural elements of the log building’s original
design.

The grant is part of OSHPO’s Preserving Oregon Grant program and is
supported in part by the Oregon Cultural Trust. Grants are awarded for
amounts up to $20,000 and are matched by funds from the grantee. The
grants are awarded annually for four to six projects across the state.
The couple have temporarily closed Bestie’s Coffee while they focus on the
renovation project. They intend to reopen the coffee shop in its new home in
the lodge in the fall of 2021 and have the new lounge operational in 2022.
The grant application process was aided by support from the Rhododendron
Community Planning Organization and the Mt. Hood Cultural Center and
Museum, who helped the couple gain insight into the history of the building in
the community.

“Over time we’ve realized what a cultural anchor the lodge has been,” Anita
said. “We feel a lot of support from the community (for the project).”
Anita invites any citizens with photos or stories about the lodge to contact the
couple as they continue to map out the timeline of the building in the
community.

Updates about the restoration progress will be available online at
https://www.facebook.com/besties.coffee/ and the couple can be contacted
by email at mail@bestiescoffee.net.