10 – The Maxfield Lodge Resort Area
Location: Approximate location of resort area: 6820 S. Maxfield Dr. This is now private property.
Date: About 1908 - 1956
Significance: The Maxfield Family was in the canyon beginning in 1855, originally with lumber, transitioning in mining, and eventually working in the hospitality business. The food and lodging services of this seasonal destination evolved over the decades.
Photo Title: Young women employed at Maxfield Lodge announce services. Virginia Brinton, niece of Lois M. Recore and Jo (Josie) M. Reenders, on the right. Unknown woman on the left. Photo probably taken in the mid-1930s. Photo used with permission of Jill Derr.
Now, only memories remain of the Maxfield Lodge Resort, but for decades it was a beloved spring and summer destination. In 1916, an advertisement in The Salt Lake Herald advised, “If you wish ‘a day off’ point the nose of your car towards this sylvan retreat in the Wasatch range at Maxfield lodge and return this evening in the moonlight with your mind and body refreshed and rested from the strain of busy days in the office. Take the ‘Maxfield Cure’ for ‘nerves.’”[1]
The Maxfield Family had been in the canyon since 1855 when brothers Richard and Robert, who arrived in Utah in 1851 from Prince Edward Island, Canada, began lumber mill work.[2] By 1870, the family had transitioned from lumber to mining as was common at that time. The family claimed water in 1895 and later homesteaded 80 acres, receiving a certificate in 1908. They built a home, a few cottages and campsites. The location was critical; a large, flat area adjacent to the creek just after an extremely steep uphill section. Animal teams hauling timber and later ore required rest, food and water here. There was no flat road through the Jones Rock until the 1916 cut. This natural place of respite was also a convenient half-way stop for people making the journey to and from Brighton. Sisters Lois and Josie Maxfield, born in 1885 and 1889, reminisced “People would come from the city in buggies or surries and spread their picnics on the ground. When it came time to return home, no attempt would be made to gather up and take back the huge amount of food that had been prepared. So after they left we children would raid the spot to see what remained. We have lugged home on a Sunday afternoon enough clean, unused food to last our family a week.”[3] By 1912, newspaper articles and advertisements appeared inviting people to the Maxfield Lodge Resort.[4]
From 1912 to 1956 the services offered at Maxfield Lodge Resort evolved to meet people’s needs. A 1915 article from the Salt Lake Herald described Maxfield Lodge Resort as “a popular mecca in Cottonwood canyon for those who seek for rest and recreation, away from the dust and heat of the city.” It also reported on an auto stage that would meet the Holliday streetcar to bring people up the canyon, furnished cottages, chicken and trout dinners and good fishing for anglers in the nearby streams.[5] In 1931, an advertisement described “a delightful place for a cool and restful vacation. Camping space among pines and grass, with beautiful river of sparkling water running through the camp.” The ad goes on the to say “The region surrounding the lodge is rich in scenic, geological and recreational interest. Enjoy hiking, fishing, the wild mountain flowers, the tall, whispering pines, the romantic moonlight nights.”[6] As the decades progressed, the Maxfield Lodge became solely a restaurant for families and large group gatherings. Throughout the 1940’s and 1950’s, local newspapers reported on 150 people attending the annual dinner of the Salt Lake Lion’s club,[7] an instruction class for P-TA officers in Granite School District,[8] a leadership conference for 60 Girl Scout leaders,[9] an invitation to celebrate Pioneer Day at Maxfield’s Lodge to “enjoy Good Food and Cool Comfort,”[10] and in 1952 a luncheon to announce the engagement of Miss JoAnn Hunsaker.[11] Finally, in 1956, the resort was sold to developers outside the Maxfield family who replaced the old lodge with a modern restaurant building. That restaurant eventually closed but can be seen on the south side as you pass the historic Maxfield Lodge Resort area.
Photo Title: Maxfield Lodge P.1 (Original Maxfield Lodge, c. 1900. Big Cottonwood Canyon . Maxfield, Lois; Richard D.; Maxfield, Josie; Maxfield, Ellen; Maxfield, Kenneth; Maxfield, Hunt Mary; Maxfield, Irene Julia; Phelps, Alice; Thorstesen, Jennie.)[12]
Photo Title: The 1960 Maxfield Lodge.[13] This is now private property.
Interesting Fact: Maxfield sisters, Josie (b.1889-1984) and Lois (b.1885-1981), are most responsible for the success of the lodge after their father’s death in 1931. They loved growing up in the canyon and working at their father’s resort. As girls, they named several canyon landmarks with the most famous being Storm Mountain.[14]
Written by: Kim Johnson
Canyon Stories:
The “Canyon Stories” sections include personal stories, family histories, anecdotes, recollections, excerpts and other information that adds depth and colorful perspectives. Some information might be repetitive, and it has not been as carefully reviewed for accuracy and sources.
