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Hope Dining Lodge
1950-2006
Destroyed by fire February 10, 2006
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| COLUMBUS, OH - A fire destroyed the
56-year-old Hope Dining Lodge at Lake
Hope State Park in Vinton County in the early morning of February 10,
2006, according to the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). There were no injuries in the
incident. The park’s cottages and nearby Laurel Lodge, a popular overnight facility for groups of up to 24 people, were not damaged. Laurel Lodge was unoccupied at the time. Park officers, as well as local law enforcement personnel and firefighters from three area departments, responded to a 1:15 a.m. alarm at the facility and found it fully engulfed in flames. An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Fire & Explosion Investigation Bureau arrived about 3 a.m. The Fire Marshal’s office continues to investigate the cause of the blaze today. Firefighters from the nearby Zaleski Fire Department remain on the scene in order to suppress any “hot spots” that might develop. Normal operations resumed this morning at Lake Hope State Park, including rental of the park’s 66 overnight cottages. All cottage and campground rentals will be handled temporarily through the main park office, located on Route 278. The rustic stone and wood dining lodge was completed in 1950, and remodeled in 1990. It housed the park’s cottage and campground rental office, a meeting room, gift shop, game room and the popular Stone Terrace Restaurant. The restaurant, a warm-weather gathering place for both locals and out-of-town visitors, closed for the season in early December. Hope Dining Lodge held historic significance and fond memories for many Ohio families. The dining lodge terrace, with its panoramic view of 120-acre Lake Hope and surrounding Zaleski State Forest, was the site of numerous weddings, family reunions and similar gatherings over the last half-century. Ohio State Parks’ naturalist program originated there and the facility hosted statewide naturalist training programs for decades. Lake Hope State Park is one of Ohio’s most popular outdoor destinations. The 3,223-acre park is situated entirely within Zaleski State Forest. It features 27 miles of hiking, mountain biking and bridle trails, as well as a swimming beach, picnic areas and a 223-site campground. About 850,000 people visited the park in 2005. |
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WILL THE LODGE BE REBUILT? The insurance settlement is on the horizon and we hope the rebuilding effort will blossom from there. The state of Ohio is currently in the process of selecting an architectural firm to design the new lodge. More info soon. |
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WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP? The "Friends of Lake Hope" is a new
organization now open to membership. The "Friends" will operate as a
support group for projects at the park. The group is currently
discussing options for accepting donations that will be used for the
benefit of Lake Hope State Park as a whole and possibly in a lodge
rebuilding effort. |
| Please email us your thoughts about this tragedy. We want to document stories you may have about the lodge and collect memorabilia and photos of the lodge. We plan on developing a portfolio to preserve the history of the lodge and to help in the rebuilding process. Please contact Dave Sapienza, Park Naturalist to donate memorabilia and photos (or copies of photos) at 740-596-3030 or lakehope@dragonbbs.com |
Join the Lake Hope email list to keep informed!
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