Renovation has breathed new life into a Great Depression-era structure at Camden State Park near Marshall. Visitors are invited to see the improvements to the Redwood Lodge at the official opening from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15. The date is also one of four state park open house days in 2020, when visitors can enter state parks without a vehicle permit for the day.

The park has used the building for a wide variety of purposes since World War I veterans built the structure in 1934, a project of the national Veteran’s Conservation Corps. For several decades prior to 2005, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources used the building as a residence for park caretakers.

Located along the Redwood River, the renovated lodge is now an attractive accommodation for park visitors who prefer a splash of history with their overnight accommodations. In keeping with the building’s historic ambiance, there is no television, internet access, or cell phone reception at the lodge.

Currently on the National Registry of Historic Places, the DNR began renovating the building in 2017 for lodging purposes, with extensive improvements to the building’s plumbing, electrical systems, flooring, bedrooms and bathroom. Furniture was added to the rooms, with log bed frames, tables and chairs made in central Minnesota. One of the three bedrooms is accessible for people with mobility disabilities.

The renovation was funded through the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund. The lodge, which sleeps eight, will be available for overnight guests beginning Sunday, Feb. 16 and costs $230 per night. To make a lodging reservation, go to mndnr.gov/reservations, or call 866-857-2757.