Congo Gulch Cabin is located at the historic Fremont Powerhouse site. This cozy 2-storied cabin features: two bedrooms upstairs with dressers, a queen bed, 3 twins, and a full-over-queen bunkbed; a third bedroom downstairs with a dresser and full-over-queen bunkbed; a parlor with dining table/chairs, 2 futons and end tables; a kitchen with refrigerator, electric stove/oven, microwave, coffee pot, toaster, cookware, dishes, and a second dining table with chairs; and a full bath with hot water, shower/tub, and flush toilet during the summer months. The cabin has electric lights and an oil heating stove. Cleaning supplies are also provided and renters are required to clean the house before they leave.
While there is water available June through September, there is no water or indoor plumbing October through May. Visitors during those times must bring plenty of water for drinking, cooking and washing. There is an outhouse near the cabin for use when the water is turned off. There is additional space for tent camping.
Nearby Recreation Rentals: This area includes three other cabins, all within a couple hundred feet of each other: Caretaker's Cabin, Hilltop Hideaway, and Miner's Retreat. This provides great flexibility for larger groups like family reunions or weddings.
- Availability: Congo Gulch is available for rent year round.
History
In the 1800s, the North Fork John Day drainage was bustling with gold and silver mining. Around 1903, local mines began to notice a decline in earnings and promoted construction of a cheaper power source in an effort to operate the mines more economically. As a result, the Fremont Powerhouse was constructed and began operation in 1908. Two dams were constructed at Olive Lake and water from the lake was piped through an eight-mile-long wood and steel pipeline to the powerhouse to generate the much-needed electrical power. The Congo Gulch house was constructed in the 1930s to shelter workers who monitored the pipeline for leaks and kept the powerhouse operating. After 59 years of continuous service, the powerhouse generated its last electrical power in October 1967. In 1968, the California - Pacific Utilities Company donated the entire complex to the U.S. Forest Service. The entire site and pipeline are listed as an historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
