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If walls could talk. . . The Cedar lined walls of the Copper Creek Inn Restaurant and the polished log walls of the cabin would tell stories that date back to the Roaring 20s.
Copper Creek Inn was Built in the 1920’s as a Service station with a friendly lunch counter. It had a bootleg whisky still hidden in the wall between the lunch counter & the Garage. The upstairs rooms were completed in 1935. The building was purchased in 1946 by Rosalea Triggs & her husband, Harry Long. They converted the garage to Copper Creek Cafe. Harry was the cook. Rosalea, a striking beauty who had a brief career in Burlesque, was the waitress. Shortly after opening the cafe, Harry left Rosalea with $15.00 in her pocket. She was no cook. A local logger started showing up in the mornings to make breakfast. Word spread quickly in the valley and they soon had a vibrant trade. Back on her feet, Rosalea was able to hire a full time cook, Virgie Smith, who worked many years with Rosalea. Copper Creek Cafe gained notoriety as a “Bottle Club”, where customers brought their own bottle, purchasing mixer for their drinks. Laughter and music from The 1917 Werlitzer Juke Box filled the Cafe. In the 50’s the upstairs rooms were rented to locals including Hank Canty, who collected the natural alphabet on the outside of the building. The cafe thrived through the 50’s, and was a favorite gathering place for locals & Mt Rainier visitors from around the world. Rosalea's log cabin was built of cedar logs by Babs Babcock in 1955. The petrified wood and stone fire place is the center piece and warms the cabin with even the smallest of fires.
In 1962, Rosalea married Verdel “Lou” Lucash, who came to the area for the Morton Logger’s Jubilee. Rosalea and Lou liked to travel, so they hired Allyn & Peggy Zuelich to manage the restaurant while they were gone, which was often, over the next 10 years. |
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35707 SR 706 E
Ashford, Washington Two miles west of the Nisqually Entrance to Mt Rainier National Park. |
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| After Lou’s death in 1973, Rosalea asked her niece, Judi Wootan, to manage the Cafe. It was a big change for Judi after living the glamorous life in Los Angeles, but she accepted the position. It didn’t take her long to realize that the “California good life” was replaced by the Mt Rainier great life”. | |||||||||||||||||
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Judy moved to Oregon in the mid 90s, and with the help of her daughter, Debbie, and Jenny Smith Copper Creek Inn continued to open on weekends. Jenny Smith juggled her two babies, balanced the till, ordered supplies and managed the staff and scheduling until Spring of 2001. | |||||||||||||||
| After 55 years in the same family, Copper Creek Inn was sold to Catharine Gallagher (previous owner of The old Mill House B&B in Eatonville) & her husband Phil Freeman. Catharine’s Daughter, Michelle Gallagher & Robert Lawrence manage the Copper Creek Inn with love & enthusiasm for this historic Restaurant. They bring with them Fresh recepies & experience gained while employed at Big Sky Resort in Montana. The new owners respectfully embrace the history & recipies of homemade breads, blackberry pies & pan fried trout, so loved by Copper Creek patrons over the years.
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| Robert Lawrence, facilities manager, and Chef Michelle Gallagher | |||||||||||||||||
| Thanks to Judi Wootan for much of the historical information included above.
Call for Reservations: email: coppercreek@greatgetaways.com Return to MountRainier.Org |
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