Qui Si Sana, Lake Crescent, Olympic Mountains, Washington, circa 1913

Overview of the Collection

Collector
Dechmann, Louis
Title
Qui Si Sana, Lake Crescent, Olympic Mountains, Washington
Dates
circa 1913 (inclusive)
Quantity
46 photographic prints (1 box)
20 p.
Collection Number
PH0169
Summary
Photographs and descriptions of Qui Si Sana, a health resort on the north shore of Lake Crescent, Olympic Peninsula, Washington State
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Louis Dechmann was born in Germany about 1865, came to Washington State from Brooklyn, New York, in 1909, and resided chiefly in Seattle until 1923. A self-proclaimed physician and biologist, between 1910 and 1919 he published a number of books and pamphlets on healing through diet and hygiene, eugenics, influenza, and other health-related topics. Dechmann founded Qui Si Sana, a naturopathic facility, about 1912 and attracted clients, many of them women, with a regimen of hydrotherapy and careful diet. He became involved in a dispute with a neighbor over water rights and was also accused of having pro-German sympathies by local residents and Seattle authorities. The resort, renamed Eugenika about 1917, was closed in 1918. The site eventually became a county park, Camp David.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Louis Dechmann hired the photographer and compiled this album as a Christmas gift. The album contains views of Qui Si Sana, a health resort operated by Louis Dechmann on the north shore of Lake Crescent on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula. Some folders contain three items: two photographs and a text page placed between them with descriptions written by Louis Dechmann of the scenes pictured. Among the images are views of the lodge and guest cabins, gardens adorned with statues, the bathhouse, a spring of "radioactive" water, and scenery and fishing on Lake Crescent. Some photos include members of the Dechmann family, resort guests, and staff. Folders 22-25 contain three panorama views created with multiple photographs. All of the photographs are by Pierson & Co.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format.

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Source: Michael Maslan, 1987.

Processing Note

Processed by Sarah Jaffa, 2001.

At the time of processing the album had come apart. The photographs have therefore been placed in folders, but the order of the prints has been retained. Each entry in the inventory represents a photograph and a page of text describing the photograph.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Container(s) Description Dates
Folder item
1 0 Album cover: "Qui Si Sana, Lake Crescent Olympic Mountains, Washington, Dr. Louis Dechmann, Proprieter."
1 1 Dr. Louis Dechmann circa 1913
1 2a Title page and description of album circa 1913
1 2b-3 Qui Si Sana as seen from Lake Crescent circa 1913
2 4-5a Lake Crescent circa 1913
2 5b-6 Lake Crescent circa 1913
3 7-8a Qui Si Sana landing circa 1913
3 8b-9 Qui Si Sana landing with Dechmann family circa 1913
4 10-11a The great pavilion circa 1913
4 11b-12 Great pavilion porch circa 1913
5 13-14a Interior of great pavilion circa 1913
5 14b-15 People at fireplace in great pavilion circa 1913
6 16-17a Open-air cottage circa 1913
6 17b-18 Interior of open-air cottage circa 1913
7 19-20a Fountain with Goddess Hygeia and Motherhood statues circa 1913
7 20b-21 Two men walking on path between terraces circa 1913
8 22-23a Spring--source of water at Qui Si Sana circa 1913
8 23b-24 View of gardens and Goddess Hygeia and Motherhood statues circa 1913
9 25-26a Bathhouse and open-air cottages circa 1913
9 26b-27 Bathroom interior circa 1913
10 28-29a Louise, Marie, and Louis Dechmann in garden circa 1913
10 29b-30 Mrs. Dechmann and four children in boat on Lake Crescent circa 1913
11 31-32a Louis Dechmann by strawberry patch circa 1913
11 32b-33 View of Lake Crescent from terrace circa 1913
12 34-35a Mrs. Dechmann and Louis Jr. by drinking fountain circa 1913
12 35b-36 Louis Dechmann and others in the rose garden circa 1913
13 37-38a Model chalet "Dove Cot" on cedar stump circa 1913
13 38b-39 Louis Dechmann on bench beside path with dog circa 1913
14 40-41a Large fern circa 1913
14 41b-42 Front view of great pavilion circa 1913
15 43-44a Louis Dechmann standing on east end of great pavilion porch circa 1913
15 44b-45 Louise, Marie and Louis Dechmann in madrona grotto circa 1913
16 46-47a Hans Dechmann with trout circa 1913
16 47b-48 Forest ranger Pike with five trout circa 1913
17 49-50a Footbridge from the landing circa 1913
17 50b-51 Mrs. and Mr. Louis Dechmann on path by rose archway circa 1913
18 52-53a Louis Dechmann on front porch of great pavilion circa 1913
18 53b-54 Group of people gathered around fireplace in great pavilion circa 1913
19 55-56a Kitchen staff in kitchen circa 1913
19 56b-57 Dining room in great pavilion circa 1913
20 58-59a Lake Crescent view through trees circa 1913
20 59b-60 View of Lake Crescent from bathhouse circa 1913
21 61 Landing at Qui Si Sana circa 1913
21 62 View of lake and "Dove Cot" model house on tree stump circa 1913
22 63 Lake Crescent
Left side of five-part panorama; the remainder is in folder 23 (item 64).
 circa 1913
23 64 View of Qui Si Sana from lake
Right side of five-part panorama; the remainder is in folder 22 (item 63).
 circa 1913
24 65 Lake view from terrace path
3-part panorama.
 circa 1913
25 66 Lake, terrace, and great pavilion
5-part panorama.
 circa 1913

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Country furniture--Washington (State)--Olympic Peninsula--Photographs
  • Decoration and ornament, Rustic--Washington (State)--Olympic Peninsula--Photographs
  • Health resorts--Washington (State)--Olympic Peninsula--Photographs
  • Rustic woodwork--Washington (State)--Olympic Peninsula--Photographs
  • Sanatoriums--Washington (State)--Olympic Peninsula--Photographs
  • Statues--Washington (State)--Olympic Peninsula--Photographs
  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

Personal Names

  • Dechmann, Louis--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Qui Si Sana Health and Biological Institution--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Crescent, Lake (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Olympic Peninsula (Wash.)--Photographs

Form or Genre Terms

  • Panoramic photographs

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • Pierson & Co (photographer)


2002 (Last modified: 11/27/2017)

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