Raucus Roots

Zephyr lodge was built in 1902 by  Mr. Charles Traeger. Traeger was known for catering to the elite.  He was the proprietor of the Royal Rooms parlor house in Butte, Montana.  A new mayor was elected in Butte Montana and they wanted to clean the town up and outlaw businesses such as the ones Charlie was interested in.

Charlie decided to head to Liberty Lake to build his desired roadhouse. He spared no expense, carpet was considered a luxury.  This plantation style home was covered in wall to wall carpeting, steam heat was installed in all the rooms and Kerosene lighting. The Zephyr was known for its gambling and liquor sales as well as other unmentionable activities.  There was a great dance hall  located near the Lodge's waterfront which Liberty Lake's Pavilion Park was modeled after and named for.

A Change In The Wind

As more resorts started being built around Liberty Lake the Zephyr wasn't a remote destination anymore.  In 1908, Charles married Marie.  She told Charlie that she would not move up to Zephyr unless it became a legitimate business. This was the turning point for Zephyr. The roadhouse became Zephyr Hotel.  Sadly, in 1910, just shortly after this change in events. Charles passed away.

Dancing Shoes

The Zephyr Hotel was a very busy place and best known for it's Rhode Island Red Chicken dinners. Families would come from all over to stay at Zephyr Hotel. People would dance the night away when the Hotel put on all night dancing events. Marie remarried Fred Wing, a former railroad timekeeper. They managed the hotel together and Marie oversaw all the cooking. 

Changing Hands

After surviving two world wars and the great depression. It was time for the Wing family to call it quits. They sold the Hotel in 1946 to the Christian Church "Disciples of Christ." They purchased the Hotel for $20,000 dollars. This was a lesser offer than what was given by the Spokane Brewery for $25,000 dollars. The Wing's took the lower offer, some would argue, because they wanted to keep it a respectable establishment.