The Frenchglen Hotel was established in 1916 by Swift & Company Meat Packers who then owned the P Ranch. The current building was constructed in 1923 and contained five rooms. It was built for the people who came into the valley to do business with Swift & Company and other ranchers in the area.
For several years in the 1930's, the teachers of the Frenchglen school lived at the hotel. The school district paid the hotel $30.00 in warrants for a months rent which also included three meals a day. The hotel manager would carry the teachers' lunch to school each day.
Around 1934 the Department of Fish & Wildlife bought the P Ranch which encompassed most of the Blitzen Valley. This area then became part of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. The hotel was included in this purchase. About this time the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) crews planted the large Carolina poplars you can see around town. In order to get through the hard pan that existed they had to blast holes for the trees with dynamite. In 1938 the CCC crew added onto and remodeled the hotel. The bathrooms were put in at this time. They also added a gasoline powered power plant so the hotel now had its own electricity. The system wasn't too reliable but it was still better then using kerosene lamps (this according to Katherine Fine, daughter of Jennie McDonald who managed the hotel at that time). This system was in use until January of 1959 when Harney Electric Cooperative brought electric power to the area. Oregon State Parks acquired the hotel in 1972 and in 1975 remodeled it to it's present state.
The following are the concessionaires who have run the hotel through the years for Swift & Company, The Department of Fish & Wildlife, and presently, the Oregon State Parks:
1924-1929 Bud Hinton
1929-1930 Clarence Miller
1930-1950 Jennie McDonald
1950-1952 Paul Howard
1952-1975 Kenneth Pruitt
1976-1984 Malena Konek
1984-1990 Jerry & Judy Santille
1991-Present John Ross
For several years in the 1930's, the teachers of the Frenchglen school lived at the hotel. The school district paid the hotel $30.00 in warrants for a months rent which also included three meals a day. The hotel manager would carry the teachers' lunch to school each day.
Around 1934 the Department of Fish & Wildlife bought the P Ranch which encompassed most of the Blitzen Valley. This area then became part of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. The hotel was included in this purchase. About this time the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) crews planted the large Carolina poplars you can see around town. In order to get through the hard pan that existed they had to blast holes for the trees with dynamite. In 1938 the CCC crew added onto and remodeled the hotel. The bathrooms were put in at this time. They also added a gasoline powered power plant so the hotel now had its own electricity. The system wasn't too reliable but it was still better then using kerosene lamps (this according to Katherine Fine, daughter of Jennie McDonald who managed the hotel at that time). This system was in use until January of 1959 when Harney Electric Cooperative brought electric power to the area. Oregon State Parks acquired the hotel in 1972 and in 1975 remodeled it to it's present state.
The following are the concessionaires who have run the hotel through the years for Swift & Company, The Department of Fish & Wildlife, and presently, the Oregon State Parks:
1924-1929 Bud Hinton
1929-1930 Clarence Miller
1930-1950 Jennie McDonald
1950-1952 Paul Howard
1952-1975 Kenneth Pruitt
1976-1984 Malena Konek
1984-1990 Jerry & Judy Santille
1991-Present John Ross
