I have a special Easter treat today. I finally uploaded a nearly 16-minute video from my first visit to Kiana Lodge in Poulsbo, Washington. This place was my first visit to a film location and, needless to say, I was beside myself. So set the way back machine to August 9, 1996. My best friend Joe Neff and (at the time) newly made friend Adam Barnick dropped by the Lodge before the start of the 1996 Twin Peaks Fan Festival.
KIANA LODGE LOCATION
Kiana Lodge is located at 14976 Sandy Hook Rd NE in Poulsbo. The approximate coordinates for this spot are 47°41’59.3″N 122°34’56.8″W.
Opened in 1937 as a retreat for Seattleites looking for an escape from the city, the Suquamish Tribe purchased this private wedding and meeting location from Bob Riebe in 2004. While they welcome visitors, you should call ahead to check on their schedule – (360) 598-4311. They prefer visitors give their paying clients privacy and plan a visit when no events are happening.
AUGUST 9, 1996
Joe and I arrive from Columbus, Ohio on August 8, 1996 and checked into the Poulsbo Inn just down the street from Kiana Lodge. The welcome event at the Bainbridge Grange didn’t start until 3:00 p.m. on August 9, so we had time to kill. Joe and I met Adam Barnick, now a director and editor of award-winning short films, the day before. So the three of us set out for Kiana on Friday morning.
Adam took this photograph of Joe and I just inside the older of the two buildings at Kiana Lodge. I was dressed as Harold Smith that day. My haircut … well, it’s just awful. What the heck was I thinking?
THE VIDEO TOUR
In the days before iPhones, I had a videocamera that used VHC-C cassettes. I extracted footage from that first visit and uploaded it to the Twin Peaks Blog YouTube Channel. It’s nearly 16-minutes and, unfortunately, it’s not the steadiest footage ever recorded. I attempted to stabilize the video in iMovie but the results are still a little bumpy.
You get my real time reactions as we explore the Lodge’s interior and exterior. I was weeks away from turning 21 so you also get my unabashed enthusiasm and commentary throughout the footage. I had discovered the show almost three years earlier so the excitement of being at my first Twin Peaks location was very real.
BMW AND JAGUAR
At the beginning of the video, we speak with an unidentified gentleman who I can only assume now worked at Kiana Lodge. He mentioned the BMW and the Jaguar vehicles in the parking lot were the owners (Bob Riebe at the time). I wonder if the BWM parked outside Blue Pine Lodge in the series was actually Mr. Riebe’s car. I assumed in the show that it was Josie Packard’s vehicle.
KIANA LODGE LOBBY
The Kiana Lodge lobby was out first stop. It doubled at The Great Northern Hotel lobby. A desk were Concierge hostess Julie Duvic (played by the late Diane Caldwell) worked is seen in the background as Leland Palmer crosses to answer a phone call from his wife Sarah.
The front entrance to the original building at Kiana Lodge where Sheriff Truman shares the unfortunate news about Laura Palmer with her father.
The Concierge Desk scene was shot on the opposite side of the lobby from the front desk. Here’s Bob Riebe playing “Bob” while discussing Laura Palmer’s death with Julie and Audrey Horne. See more about this scene in this article.
DINING ROOM
Our next stop was the dining room where Ben Horne tells the Norwegian businessmen about health and industry going hand-in-hand in Twin Peaks.
The alcove where Audrey Horne stood and where Josie Packard looked in the mirror was found on the wall closest the the main doors. Sadly the alcove no longer exists in the dining room today following a remodeling project.
We never see the opposite side of the dining room in the series. It contained this mounted deer head which, at the time, reminded me of the one that “fell down” when Cooper and Truman examine the safety deposit box.
THE KITCHEN
The Martell’s kitchen was the next stop on our tour, which you can read more about it in this article. Like the dining room alcove, the kitchen as it appears in the Pilot Episode is long gone.
THE FIREPLACE
Other stops during our tour included the fireplace which is actually one of two inside the building.
This is the same fireplace that Ben Horne spits in while discussing their plan of attack with his attorney Leland Palmer.
The fireplace is in the same room where the nurse speaks with Mrs. Horne and Audrey about Johnny. She uses this spiral staircase on the far left side of this image. The door near the fireplace leads back to the main lobby.
THE BEAR
Much to my surprise, the giant wooden bear carving was positioned next to Ben Horne’s spit-filled fireplace.
This was the same bear carving seen in the dining room when Leland leaves with Julie and Audrey enters to disrupt the Norwegians’ meeting. I couldn’t believe it was still there.
SMALL TOTEM POLE
Outside we spotted the small totem pole carved by Don Keys, which was seen outside Blue Pine Lodge in several episodes.
The totem pole was repainted at some point between mid September 2019 and November 1, 2019 and moved to a spot near its original location.
The backdoor of the Kiana Lodge is the spot where Sheriff Truman meets Josie Packard and where Catherine stands with Josie in the Pilot Episode. One thing to note is the original wooden shingle roof.
Today, the Lodge has a green-colored metal roof.
Another look at the back of Kiana Lodge from August 1996.
SIDE OF KIANA LODGE
More views of the side of Kiana Lodge.
This side view of Blue Pine Lodge was used several times throughout the series, best examined in this Setting the Stage article.
LARGE STORYPOLE
The large story pole, best seen in Episode 2014, was present in August 1996.
LAURA PALMER’S LOG
Here is the “Lonesome Foghorn” path where Pete Martell first spots a body wrapped in plastic by the giant log on the shore.
Another look at the giant log where Laura Palmer’s body was discovered.
Final look at Laura Palmer’s log on the shore near Kiana Lodge.
I think I have a handful of more photos somewhere in the house. Once I find them, I’ll scan and upload. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed this time machine tour of the magnificent Kiana Lodge. It’s definitely worth a stop!
Do you know where the exterior of the Log Lady’s Cabin was filmed? Thanks.
@Tom – That’s a great question. There is an establishing shot which hasn’t been located yet (it’s one of my White Whale spots seen in this article – https://www.twinpeaksblog.com/2020/01/22/twin-peaks-film-location-washington-state-white-whales/). The porch exterior and interior seen in Episode 1005 was filmed in Agoura Hills, CA, across from the Johnson house exterior in seasons 1 & 2.
Hi Steven,
In your research did you happen to find out why the Lodge was named Kiana by the owner? Do you know if it was Bob Riebe who named, or the previous owner?
@Mariana – I haven’t found out why it was named Kiana but I discuss Bob’s role and brief appearance in Twin Peaks in this article. Bob purchased the site in 1979 from Richard White. https://www.twinpeaksblog.com/2020/04/11/twin-peaks-film-location-the-great-northern-hotel-concierge-desk/