Gull Cove History

Situated at the point where Idaho Inlet merges with Icy Strait, Gull Cove has provided a refuge for fishing boats and other travelers for years. In 1936 Bill and Jenny Graham built their homestead at Gull Cove. They established the Gull Cove trading post and operated it for many years, catering to the needs of local fishermen. Preserves and jams from locally picked berries, home made breads, and smoked fish were a big attraction at Gull Cove.

It was 1995 when Gull Cove Alaska lodge and first cabins appeared along the shore of Gull Cove on the north side of Chichagof Island. After many years in Elfin Cove, Paul Johnson had a vision of a remote lodge, tucked away in a protected cove, with a stunning view of the Fairweather Range across Icy Strait. Now that vision is a reality and Gull Cove is the starting point for daily adventures into the waters of Icy Strait, Glacier Bay and beyond. 

Excerpt from Gull Cove Building History Book:

March 21, 1995 

The weather was sunny and cold. As we rounded the corner and entered Gull Cove, Paul and I anchored the Lituya about 200 ft off shore, we then dropped a dingy in the water and paddled in. That spring proved to be challenging, as there was at least 6 feet of snow on the ground. Soon after, the barge carrying all of the supplies to build the lodge and cabin rounded the corner. The captain waited until high tide, and then brought the barge up onto the beach. He lower the front gate and we spent the next two and a half days unloading the material. The first thing to come off the barge was the backhoe, Paul spent two hours shoveling snow to make an area large enough to place all of the materials. Two days later, the barge backed out during high tide and we waved good bye as he headed back to Juneau. Many from Elfin Cove, skiffed over to help build. The very first thing we had to do was saw the trees and brush down for the lodge and the first and third cabin. We kept three bond fires going for many days to burn the brush. I kept the fires going as the guys put in the foundation. They made 35 square foundations for the lodge and nine square foundations for each cabin. The last week of march was very cold, to the point where we could no longer make and pour cement because it was 6 degrees. We put most of our energy into the lodge, finishing the cement pads, then we put the pilings up, then we put the floor of the lodge down. From there we framed in the sides of the lodge, then the front, then the back wall. Then we built the roof. That was only two months in. Once we put the roof on the lodge, we also put plywood on the sides and the tyvek. After this, the most wonderful thing happened, we finally built the board walk from the lodge to the supplies in the yard. This made life so much easier because up until then, we had hand carry everything through the woods. After that we then began to frame the interior walls. We then moved onto the electrical and plumbing. Once that was done, we had three guys from Wisconsin come in and place the in floor heating. We also had three guys come up from Idaho who hung sheetrock in three days. During that, cabin 1 and 3 were being worked on. Our friend Rod Selvig came up every day in his skiff to build the 3rd cabin. While Paul was out bear hunting, Ron Rodgers and I put in the pine flooring in the lodge. With the help of a few other people, we finally completely finished the 1st and 3rd cabin.  Nobody knew it but we were all trying to out work each other. I remember every little thing I did to build it. I never knew where I was sleeping. In the lodge, the cabins, tents, where ever it was dry, I would sleep. Every night I would go to bed completely exhausted. We worked non-stop for two months. We were working on a clock. I worked my butt off, but I would do it all over again. 

-Tami Mulick