As the Twin Peaks Fan Festival returns to the North Bend and Snoqualmie area in Washington State, I’m reminiscing about my first (and only) visit in August 1996. Attending the fan fest with my buddy Joe, we visited many of the iconic film locations including The Salish Lodge and Snoqualmie Falls. Here are several photos from my visit in the mid-90s.
The Salish Lodge & Spa, used as the exterior location for The Great Northern Hotel, is located at 6501 Railroad Ave in Snoqualmie, Washington. This hotel sits above Snoqualmie Falls which was supposed to be White Tail Falls in the series.
The images below were shot on film which I scanned and edited before posting below. Click on each image to enlarge.
Originally The Snoqualmie Falls Lodge, it began as an eight-room inn built in 1916 as a rest stop for travelers.
In 1988, the building was completely remodeled and reopened as The Salish Lodge. It is now owned by the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.
When The Salish Lodge reopened in 1988, advertising boasted it had “91 Rooms Complete With Running Water.”
The name “Salish” originally referred only to the indigenous group known today as the Bitterroot Salish of Montana and their language, Salish. The term was extended by linguists to include all related languages in the Pacific Northwest region.
It appears they were setting up for wedding was being held behind the hotel when I took this photo.
In the 1890s, a civil engineer named Charles H. Baker visited Snoqualmie Falls. He began formulating a plan to harness the power of the flowing water.
Construction of a power plant at the falls began in 1898. It required excavating through solid rock.
The Snoqualmie River cascades 270 feet through a rock gorge. The falls are 100 feet higher than Niagara Falls located in Ontario, Canada.
I can almost here the opening credits music to TWIN PEAKS.
Water from the falls drops into a 65-foot deep pool before continuing downstream.
Here is a postcard of the Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls circa 1996. The photograph was taken by Charles Crust and the back of the card reads, “#18221 The Salish Lodge overlooks Snoqualmie Falls which plunges 268 feet to the river below.”
One souvenir I bought during the trip was Snoqualmie Falls Lodge Pancake and Waffle Mix. You can still purchase this today on the Snoqualmie Falls website.
Two more photos I have of the lodge and falls are from 1998. They were provided by a family member who visited the area that year.
