The Black Ram Lodge is situated on the hills overlooking [[Olde Towne]] in the region of [[Ransom Hollow]] ([[Washington State]]): "The Black Ram Lodge towered above a lightly wooded hillside overlooking Olde Towne. The lodge and its town lay in the folds of Ransom Hollow, separated from the lights of Seattle by miles of dirt road and forested hills." (The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All, p. ) The Black Ram Lodge is featured in the stories [[Blackwood's Baby]] and [[Catch Hell]] and might be referenced in [[The Croning]]. --- ### __History__ The Black Ram's foundation is described in the story Catch Hell: "The Black Ram had been established as a trading post in the 1860s, doing a brisk business with settlers from Seattle and tribes from neighboring Snohomish Valley." (Occultation and Other Stories, p. ) The Croning perhaps also alludes to the origins of the Black Ram. Protagonist Don [[Miller]]'s wife Michelle's family apparently has some ties to the area of Ransom Hollow and founded _a_ lodge way back: "[...] Ransom Hollow, a venerable chain of valley settlements and home to several of Michelle’s ancestors on the Mock side. Allegedly cousins of the Mocks (she couldn’t recall the family name) had settled hereabouts before the Gold Rush and founded a lodge; the family had owned half the valley during their heyday." (The Croning, p. ) The trading post was later refurbished as the house of the Welloc family. Sometime in this period is when the events of Blackwood's Baby take place. After the Great Depression, the Black Ram became (and stayed) an inn. The events of Catch Hell take place at this inn. The origin of the Lodge's name is alluded to in the story Blackwood's Baby: "There was never a black ram. It's a euphemism for… Well, that's a story for another evening." (The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All, p. ) If the name 'Black Ram' doesn't refer to a ram at all, it might be a reference to [[Black Bill]] instead. #Location #Beautiful #Occultation #Croning