History Behind the Steiner Cabins on Mt. Hood in Oregon

Cabin Fever:

Funky Fact: There have been seven U.S. Presidents born in log cabins.

Henry Steiner was a German craftsman who immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. He settled in the Mt. Hood region of Oregon and began building hand-crafted log cabins using only the resources found on-site. This included felling and peeling logs to use as the frame for each cabin and creating everything else by hand, from the spiral staircases to the custom stick doorknobs, twig coat hooks and natural wood drawer pulls.

Without the aid of electricity or power tools, the Steiners were resourceful and innovative in their construction methods. They were able to create beautiful and durable cabins that have stood the test of time, even through the harsh weather conditions of the Mt. Hood region.

Henry and his sons, John and Fred, built these log cabins from the 1910s to the 1940s, creating a legacy that has lasted for over a century. Their work has been recognized and admired by many, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has listed several of the Steiners’ cabins on their National Register of Historic Places.

One of the most famous collaboration projects the Steiner Family worked on was the Timberline Lodge, a mountain resort located on the slopes of Mount Hood. The lodge, which was completed in 1937, was designed to blend in with the surrounding environment, and the Steiner’s play a helpful part in its design and building.

The Steiner’s were pioneers of what is now known as the Oregon Rustic Style, which emphasizes the use of natural materials and traditional woodworking techniques to create structures that blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. This approach was especially popular in the Pacific Northwest, where the Steiner’s built their cabins.

The Steiners were also skilled in other areas of woodworking, including furniture making and carpentry. They were known for their attention to detail and dedication to craftsmanship, qualities that are evident in the cabins they built. You can see examples of their furniture in the Government Camp Museum.