Long before Ada Lakeside Resort became a peaceful retreat, this location served as a vital transportation hub for the local community.
In the early 20th century, the site was home to the Ada Station Post Office, strategically positioned along the railroad line. Local residents would bring their milk and other goods to this station, loading them onto trains bound for town - a lifeline connecting this remote lakeside community to larger markets.
The Ada Station Post Office was named for Ada Mae Wilkes, the daughter of an early postmistress in the community. Even today, some locals still refer to the property as "Ada Station."
Founded in 1892, the small community of Ada grew up near the junction of Fiddle Creek, Canary Road, and Ada Road, just southeast of modern Highway 101 and the Oregon coast. Early access to this remote spot improved as Ada Road and Five-mile Road were developed, winding in and out of both Lane and Douglas Counties and following the curves of Fiddle Creek down toward Siltcoos Lake.
The lakeside stop that would become Ada Lakeside Resort was once known as Ada Station and later Ada Quay, reflecting its role as a busy little railroad and lakeside landing before it evolved into a dedicated fishing and vacation resort. Over time, early owners added a two-story building that combined a small general store with living quarters and built rental cabins on pilings above high water, creating a modest but welcoming resort where guests could stay in cabins, RVs, or tents beside Siltcoos Lake.
Through the decades, families including the DeMerritts, Nicholsons, Collins family, Warren partnership, Hicks family, and most recently the Bell family trust and Hanlon family have each shaped Ada Lakeside Resort with upgrades, new amenities, and careful stewardship of the property. From the 1970s through the 1990s, Joe and Joella Collins helped turn the property into a four-star resort by refining the cabins, docks, and guest services, a tradition later owners carried on with added showers and sheltered spaces for anglers on stormy coastal days.
The resort’s history is rich with stories too: local tales of an “Ada Lake Monster” were eventually traced to a large sturgeon in Siltcoos Lake, and guests walking the trestle south through the tunnel still reach the former site of Booth, a long-vanished ghost town recalled in regional railroad lore. Joe Collins himself is remembered for his playful humor; when sales callers rang, he often claimed they needed to speak with the “owner” Jimmy Hicks and then set the phone aside, returning to work on the docks while the caller waited in vain.
21 Years, 1973 - 1994
Joe and Joella Collins spent more than two decades turning the former station into a well-loved, four-star lakeside resort, steadily upgrading cabins, docks, and guest facilities for anglers and vacationing families.
10 Years, 1994 - 2004
The resort was later inherited by the Warrens: Jennipher, Jerry, and Tony Warren, who continued operating the property for a time with the help of various managers.
21 Years, From 2004-2025
Jeremy and Yumiko Hicks purchased Ada Fishing Resort. Under the Hicks family stewardship, the resort maintained its rustic charm and fishing heritage. As Jeremy put it, "The main thing out here is peace of mind. You're away from town. This is the place you remember going camping as a child 30 years ago."
2025 to Present Day
The newest guardians of Ada's legacy have brought a fresh perspective while honoring the location's rich history. Carol felt an immediate connection to the property. "It reminds me of summers at my grandparents' lake resorts in northern Minnesota. Summers were spent in bathing suits, seining for minnows and fishing with grandpa Oscar."
