Stories of St. Edward
Welcome to the Stories of St. Edward self-guided historical tour.
The Lodge at St. Edward State Park has a rich history, with decades of stories living within our walls. Dating back to the 1920s, Saint Edward Seminary was built as a sacred place of learning, and later preserved as a pristine Washington State Park. Take the journey from past to present with our self-guided Stories of St. Edward tour. Venture throughout the property to find QR codes each linking to historical details, photographs, and videos that tells the story of the space you stand in, the significance it holds to the property, and the heritage of this iconic landmark preserved in time. Start your journey by reading the stories of the space below, then follow the map to venture through the halls of history to learn even more.
HISTORY
The land where The Lodge at St. Edward State Park currently sits was first purchased by Bishop Edward John O’Dea in the late 1920s. He donated the 366-acre plot to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle for the building of Saint Edward Seminary, where young men would be educated for the priesthood. The seminary was designed by notable Seattle architect John Graham Sr. and completed in 1931. His firm, John Graham & Company, is responsible for many notable buildings in Seattle and throughout the country, including the iconic Space Needle.
The seminary served as an important facility until 1957, when enrollment started to decline following the opening of Saint Thomas the Apostle Seminary. It continued operating until 1976, fulfilling its educational duties for forty-five proud years. Though the seminary was no longer needed, Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen had a vision of preserving the grounds as a state park, having fallen in love with the area’s natural beauty as a student at Saint Edward Seminary. Rather than sell the property to the highest bidder, he worked with the state to make his dream possible.
In 1977, the property and the majority of the land were sold to the State of Washington to become Saint Edward State Park. The park’s enchanting trails, lake views, and gorgeous fir, cedar, and maple trees drew plenty of love from locals, and the building itself became a beloved symbol of the area. However, after not getting much use over the years, the building was in need of a sizable renovation.
In 2017, Daniels Real Estate entered into a public-private partnership to preserve and transform the main building into The Lodge at St. Edward Park. A meticulous restoration of the exterior façade, including the roof and all original windows was completed, and the interior design was transformed to evolve the seminary building into a Pacific Northwest-inspired lodge, preserving the iconic landmark building for generations to come.
The Lodge at St. Edward State Park was born, and now it is ready to introduce guests to the area’s fascinating history and pristine natural splendor.
Owners Kevin and Mary Daniels now preside over The Lodge as hosts, and their unique inspiration draws from some of the finest hotel experiences throughout their world travels. Led by their vision, The Lodge is so much more than a hotel, but rather a deep sense of place and belonging, locally inspired and rooted in the community.
Original architectural drawings from renowned architect John Graham.
Crowds gather for the dedication ceremony of Saint Edward Seminary in 1931.
Saint Edward Seminary looking east, taken from the water tower at Saint Thomas Seminary (now Bastyr University) in 1956.
Photograph courtesy the Archives of the Archdiocese of Seattle