Soap Lake Mourns Loss Of Unique Hotel; Historic Rooms Burn

The John Wayne Room is history. So is the Outlaw Room, and the Chief Joseph Room, and 10 more of the most unforgettable hotel rooms in the Pacific Northwest.

That's the grim toll from a Friday fire that gutted much of the Notaras Inn, the Soap Lake landmark that was probably better-known than the lake itself.

"It's pretty awful," groaned Bob Lonn, who helps run the local Chamber of Commerce. "This town sure doesn't get any breaks."

For most of a century, this small Grant County town has endured long slumps between occasional bursts of tourism, with visitors mostly drawn to the reputedly curative qualities of the lake's mineral water.

The Notaras Inn is the creation of Marina Romary, a Soap Lake native and former town mayor who was determined to contribute "something special" to her hometown. Starting from the ruins of a previous hotel, she spent more than two decades realizing her vision, one room at a time.

The result was a two-story log building constructed of huge, old-growth spruce salvaged from the Cascades.

Each room was named for one of Romary's Western heroes, and decorated with scores of mementos to match: artifacts, posters, horseshoes and such, all encased in thick layers of transparent epoxy.

Arrows in the walls

The John Wayne Room featured arrows in the walls, a rope swing, loft and movie posters.

The Charlie Russell Room was decorated with Russell prints, petrified wood and agates.

The Bonnie Guitar Room was named for the country crooner who sang for years in the neighboring Soap Lake Businessman's Club, and who still lives outside Soap Lake.

Call it cowboy renaissance, or country kitsch, but Romary's decor was certainly unique.

Meanwhile, Romary went through more barrels of epoxy to redecorate the club and to turn Don's Restaurant, just across the street, into one of the best restaurants in the county.

Things were looking up, says an inn employee. The summer tourist season just began, and bookings were good.

Fueled by wood and plastic

That was until 2 p.m. Friday, when the main building went up in flames - fueled by vast swaths of solid wood and epoxy-based plastic. Within minutes, the town was engulfed in smoke.

Firefighters came from as far away as Moses Lake, 25 miles down the highway. Most of the town turned out to watch as firefighters saved the office, the restaurant and several smaller buildings. But the main lodge was gutted.

There was no official word on the cause, but rumor has it the flames started in a downstairs laundry room.

Yesterday, the restaurant, club and office were back in business. About 10 rooms survived - but none of the original rooms.

Romary was unavailable to comment. Townsfolk have vowed to rally to her cause.

"I stood with her while we watched the fire," Lonn said. "She was pretty much in shock.

"I told her: `Don't you worry. You were here for us, and now we'll be here for you.' "