Rogue River Real Estate!

Gilchrest Historical Waterfront Resort

There are properties you can buy-and then there are properties that carry a story.

Set along the shores of a beautiful Central Oregon lake, the Gilchrist Historical Waterfront Resort encompasses 14.9 acres on Highway 97, strategically positioned between Bend and Crater Lake. La Pine is only about 15 minutes away, while Bend is approximately 45 minutes to the north.

This extraordinary waterfront property is a destination in itself. Twenty-one buildings are nestled throughout the grounds, creating an intimate village-like setting with accommodations for up to 50 guests. Guests can enjoy direct lake access, two swimming pools, three hot tubs, multiple waterfront patios, and inviting spaces designed for gathering, relaxing, and celebrating.

The property also offers event space for approximately 100 guests and parking for up to 50 vehicles-opening the door to weddings, retreats, reunions, corporate gatherings, family celebrations, and other destination events.

Much more than a lodging property, this is a place with history.

The owners acquired the property in 2006 and originally envisioned it as a private family compound, with 17 homes creating a remarkable gathering place for family and friends. Over time, select homes were offered as Airbnb accommodations, eventually evolving into the resort operation that exists today.

The buildings have been extensively remodeled and updated, while the grounds and amenities have been thoughtfully developed to create a comfortable and memorable guest experience.

The sale includes the furnishings and equipment necessary to continue the operation-including event supplies, tables and chairs, linens, tableware, grounds equipment, and much more. For a new owner, this creates an unusual opportunity to step into an established setting with the physical infrastructure already in place.

From quiet mornings beside the water to lively gatherings beneath the Central Oregon sky, the property offers something increasingly difficult to find: space, privacy, water, history, and the potential to create experiences people will remember.

A truly distinctive waterfront property with a fascinating past-and considerable potential for its next chapter.

A Piece of Gilchrist History

There is far more to Gilchrist than meets the eye. Tucked among the towering ponderosa pines of Central Oregon, Gilchrist is a remarkable surviving example of an Oregon company town-and its story is closely intertwined with the Gilchrist and Ernst families.

In the late 1930s, the Gilchrist Timber Company established a lumber operation here and built an entire community around it. Rather than simply constructing a mill, the company created a carefully planned town for its employees and their families, complete with homes, a school, stores, a post office, restaurant, bowling alley, library, theater and other community facilities.

The distinctive buildings were designed in a Scandinavian-inspired style, and for many years the town became affectionately known as "Brown Town," because the company painted its buildings the same signature brown color.

Gilchrist even had what is described as one of Oregon's earliest shopping centers east of the Cascades-a remarkable feature for such a remote timber community.

The Gilchrist story also has a deeply personal family connection. John Ernst was a grandson of Frank W. Gilchrist, the founder of the Gilchrist Timber Company. The Ernst family grew up with a connection to the community, and when the original timber operation was eventually sold, members of the Ernst family purchased the historic town rather than simply allowing its story to disappear.

That connection makes the Gilchrist Historical Resort especially meaningful. It is not simply a property located in a historic town-it is part of a community whose history was shaped by the very families whose names remain woven into Gilchrist today.

Surrounded by forests, mountains, rivers and lakes, Gilchrist remains a gateway to Central Oregon's remarkable four-season recreation. For someone who appreciates history, nature and the opportunity to own something truly different, this is a property with a story that simply cannot be duplicated.

You aren't just buying a property. You're becoming part of the story of Gilchrist.

MLS# 220228266

Terms Considered: Cash, Conventional Financing.

$4,000,000