Bonneville State Scenic Corridor
"[Samuel C. Lancaster's Lodge] ...burned in the late 1920s, and Lancaster, who was then succumbing to the aftereffects of a youthful bout with polio, had no money to rebuild. The land, sold to the state of Oregon, became Bonneville State Park."
Lancaster's Lodge Interpretive SignMoffett Creek to Tanner Creek Segment, Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail.
Chester H. Armstrong, History of the Oregon State Parks: 1917-1963, Bonneville State Park
Bonneville State Park is located at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, approximately 40 miles east of Portland in Multnomah County. The park first consisted of a nice level, quite usable area which was obtained in January, 1931. However, this usable area was needed by the United States Government as a service area at the dam. The property was given to the government in 1933.
Bonneville Park now contains 51.05 acres, consisting of five fragmentary tracts ranging in size from 3.76 to 25.36 acres. The latter tract is a timbered area on the south side of the highway at Tooth Rock Tunnel.
On April 10, 1942, the federal government gave to the state 17.24 acres located on both sides of the highway. On that portion north of the road was a large home which had been built by the late Samuel Hill. This home was occupied intermittently for several years. At the time the Columbia River Highway was being rebuilt, in 1959, this home was sold. It was demolished and removed from the area because a portion of the land was needed in the construction of the new highway. To provide access to the remaining area would have been very expensive, if not impossible.
Flowage easements have been granted on all lands affected by the raising of the water level of Bonneville pool. Some were granted by the Highway Commission; others were granted by the previous owners of the lands.
There has been no active public use of the area.
Chester H. Armstrong (compiler), 1965, "History of the Oregon State Parks: 1917-1963, published by Oregon State Parks. Qtd. in Topinka, http://columbiariverimages.com/Regions/Places/bonneville_dam.html Accessed May 9, 2020