V History of the Valley
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The Lodge 2006 Courtesy Photo
LOCAL HISTORICAL LORE
The Lodge at San Isabel Part III of III
The Lake Isabel Lodge Charles Richard and Pauline Hoffman Hogue (1972 – 1991) Charles and Pauline owned and operated the lodge and restaurant for almost 20 years. Charles was born in Fowler in 1936, the only child of Carrol Webster and Estella Lindsey Hogue. He had two older step-brothers and a younger step-sister. After his parents divorced, Charles lived with his grandparents, Guy Earl and Lydia Maria Harris Lindsey for several years.
Charles and Pauline Hoffman were married in 1959 in Nebraska where Charles was likely living with his mother. They had three children: Rick, Karen and Angela. Advertising in 1975 and 1976 for the Lake Isabel Lodge offered “ Trailer Parking; Groceries; Boats & Tackle; Restaurant and Cabins”.
Charles and Pauline operated a convenience store in the slab building across the road until 1990 when they sold the building to Jim Scott and Jerry Duran. A year later they sold the lodge property to David and Shirley Harmon.
The Lodge at San Isabel David Pearl and Shirley May Harmon (1991 – 2020) In 1978, David and Shirley purchased The Pine Lodge across the road at 18488 Colorado Highway 165. They moved to Rye the following spring with their four children.
In 1882, the Harmon family moved to San Isabel. In 1991, they purchased the ‘ The Lodge’ property. This expanded their operation to 20 cabins total.
They moved their restaurant from the Pine Lodge and expanded the Lodge restaurant into its current location from ‘the front room’. They called the joined facilities, The Lodge at San Isabel. Shirley’s sister, Myrna Wolf; David’s brother, Larry Dale ‘Duke’ and his wife Shirley Ann Reece Harmon and all of their children worked at the Lodge.
In 1997, David and Shirley Harmon sold The Pine Lodge to concentrate the Lodge property.
It became a multi-generational family owned and operated business until 2020 when it was sold to JKSE Enterprises.
Sources: 2023 telephone interview with Ken Bozell; assorted newspaper articles and advertisements; deeds; census, obituary, cemetery, marriage and other records
