Ducey's Bass Lake Lodge
| Ducey's Lodge | |
|---|---|
Ducey's on the Lake | |
Ducey's on the Lake Ducey's on the Lake | |
| General information | |
| Location | 39255 Marina Drive Bass Lake, CA |
| Coordinates | 37°19′8.32″N 119°33′25.35″W / 37.3189778°N 119.5570417°W |
| Opening | 1941 |
| Website | |
| basslake.com | |
Ducey's Bass Lake Lodge, originally Freeman’s Bass Lake Lodge, is a historic establishment on the northern shore of Bass Lake. Built by Buddy Freeman in 1941, the lodge initially featured a bar, restaurant, and rental cabins. It changed ownership several times before becoming part of The Pines Resort in 1975.
The lodge gained national recognition as a filming location for the 1987 movie The Great Outdoors. A year later, a kitchen fire destroyed the building. Undeterred, The Pines Resort rebuilt the lodge, opening a new facility in 1991, a mile east of the original site.
History
Freeman’s Bass Lake Lodge was established in 1941 by Buddy Freeman on the north shore of Bass Lake, about a mile west of the Pines Village. The property included a bar, restaurant, and rental cabins. In 1947 it was sold to Jeff Jeffords, Karl Briz, and A.C. Zingle.[1]
Maurice and Marie Ducey purchased the lodge in 1950, expanded it with a general store and campgrounds, and developed collections of Native American artifacts, firearms, antiques, and taxidermy.[2] In 1952 the lodge served as the filming headquarters for Hiawatha.[3] The Duceys renamed the business Ducey’s Bass Lake Lodge and operated it until retiring in 1968. The lodge then passed to Al Westman and in 1969 to Dr. Robert and Gloria Rickard.[4] In 1975 the property was incorporated into The Pines Resort.
The lodge appeared in the 1987 film The Great Outdoors, which used Bass Lake as the setting and modeled a studio-built cabin after Ducey’s rental cabins.[5][6][7]
On June 2, 1988, a kitchen fire destroyed the lodge. Multiple additions and attic spaces hindered firefighting efforts, and only the stone chimneys and porch remained after the four-hour blaze.[8]
Ducey’s on the Lake
Following the destruction of the original lodge in 1988, The Pines Resort began reconstruction on a new facility, designed by local architect Michael Karby. The new building was located along the lakeshore, about one mile east of the previous site, and opened on April 20, 1991.[9]
Members of the Mono people participated in the opening ceremonies. The interior design incorporated items salvaged from the fire, including the lodge’s 12-foot road sign, and new displays of historical photographs and hunting trophies intended to replace the destroyed collection.[10]
References
- ^ "Resort Is Sold At Bass Lake". Madera Tribune. February 1, 1950. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- ^ "Ducey's Bass Lake Lodge Ready For Deer Hunters". Madera Tribune. Vol. 62, no. 150. September 22, 1953. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Hollywood Uses Bass Lake Longfellow's 'Hiawatha' Story Before Cameras". Madera Tribune. No. 109. June 9, 1952. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Ducey's Lodge Sold For $350,000 Tag". Madera Tribune. March 18, 1968. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- ^ John McKinney (November 12, 1995). "Wandering Around Bass Lake. Hiking: Southern Sierra Nevada".
- ^ Dee, Jake (August 10, 2020). "10 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The Making Of The Great Outdoors". ScreenRant. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ "Fall's Lake - Log Cabin". The Studio Tour. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Fire Destroys Sierra Lodge". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 4, 1988. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
- ^ "Ducey's Lodge to Reopen at Bass Lake". Madera Tribune. April 21, 1991. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Fire-Destroyed Bass Lake Lodge Rebuilt". Fresno Bee. April 22, 1991. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
External links
- The Pines Resort owns and operates Ducey's on the Lake.
- Ducey's on the Lake was designed by architect Michael Karby AIA/MCRP