Lithia Resort History

Rick From the North Woods

Rick Meets Nancy

From the farm, he moved on to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. While stationed as a crew chief at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Rick met Nancy. Leaving Nevada's Mojave Desert, they moved to Minnesota’s North Woods to attend college. After college, they were ready for their first business venture. So they launched the janitorial company Able Maintenance.

Life in the Land of Lincoln

Nancy’s mother lived in Illinois and became ill. They left the north to live near her in a farmhouse that they rented. There, Rick worked, building additions to the Sangamon Prairie Pork Farm. Meanwhile, on his own time, he also built an energy-efficient home for his family.

Eventually, they were off to a new venture: running the Country Corner General Store, in the state capital of Springfield. On the side, Rick inspected conservation projects with the Cochran & Wilkens consulting firm.

An Unexpected Announcement Took Them to Shelbyville

It was on the store's cork bulletin board that Lithia Resort entered their lives. A notice on the board announced that the Lithia Resort was being auctioned off.

It immediately triggered memories of their outback get-togethers with friends and family. It woke Rick's North Woods spirit. Aside from the group outings, he remembered father-son trips to Minnesota and Canada. Nancy recalled a wilderness portage with him when a charging mama moose came after them. She smiled at the thought of the raging moose and Rick shouting, "Paddle faster!"

Their North Woods-Style Resort: A Dream Come True at Lithia Springs

For years, Rick and Nancy had shared the dream of having a North Woods resort where they would retire. Yet, they wanted to stay near family. They were off to the Lithia Resort auction and their dream came true in November of 1995. They owned the resort.

The woodlands near lake Shelbyville became their North Woods-style venture. They began their getaway with the renovation of the original 12 rooms. Next, Rick started in on the traditional cabins and gave them the perfect touch by installing modern conveniences. The beauty of nature met the comfort of skilled craftsmanship. And beneath the oaks of Lithia Springs, visitors felt the cozy serenity.

The Nicest Log Cabins in Illinois Attracted More Than Hunters and Fishermen

Once a weekend retreat for deer hunters and fishermen, outdoorsmen began to bring their families. Lithia Resort grew into annual traditions for families and friends. As the resort expanded, so did its reputation. People from all over the Midwest rested in the shade of the Olsen’s nine acres. Visitors from all over the world also came to vacation and get away from the pressures of work and worry.

The family had planned Lithia Resort for Nancy and Rick's son Richard to run one day. But, their dream grew cloudy when his death came without warning, devastating them. Needless to say, they set their plans aside as they mourned his loss. Years passed before Rick continued to build traditional Abraham Lincoln-style rustic log cabins to rent.

Eventually, the 11 rustic log cabins to rent accompanied the 12 original motel rooms. Rick’s detailed, authentic rental cabin style became well-known and rightly so. He takes great pride in his work, as he told the Shelbyville Daily Union.

"Anything I build, … I want it to look nice … We are using dovetailed logs in a Lincoln-style to accent the interest in Abraham Lincoln in the area. I don’t think he would have built one much different from these if he were here today.”

A Cut About the Traditional Log Cabin

Today’s vacationers want comfortable cabins. Rick took the century-old log-cabin design a step further, equipping each with modern conveniences. He wanted them to feel like home. Each Lithia rental cabin includes well-maintained amenities:

• Convenient kitchen including a microwave, oven-equipped stove and refrigerator
  
• Comfortable central heat and air conditioning
  
• Furniture built for cabin life and cozy beds
  
• Outdoor space including a picnic table, charcoal grill and campfire ring

Comfortable and clean cabins make them suitable for everyone in the family. That’s the family’s gift to every visitor seeking a North Woods experience as comfortable as any modern resort! 

So Many Return Visitors and So Many Tales

Over the years, returning guests brought friends and family. And many of them have turned their resort getaways into annual traditions. 

Individuals, friends, families, partners, teams and groups rent cabins at the Lithia retreat. And every year they tell us of new adventures on the lake or in the field. Fishermen have tales about the one that got away. Hunters also tell us about that moment when they made eye contact with a huge buck. The Olsens hear endless stories from afield.

Cindy Keeps the Dream Alive

Cindy and Nancy always had fun learning about the resort guests. It felt good to know that their efforts helped create some of their best memories. 

Cindy and her family always maintained close ties with her parents' business. Cindy, her husband Andy and their children Kenneth, Joe, Paige and Aden spent free time at the resort, fishing and boating on Lake Shelbyville. Her kids learned to fish in its catch and release pond, just like kids and even adults today. Cindy loved the resort.

When Rick and Nancy were ready for retirement in 2018, Cindy was there and she became the new resort manager. And, to date, still enjoys what they love most: getting to know their guests.

They have seen generations of memories made in Lithia Resort. "It's so gratifying to meet new guests referred to us by friends or family," Cindy said. "That's the real reward for us ... knowing that we created an experience that people love."

Lithia Resort Today

Nature lovers, adventurers, bikers, bicyclists, boaters, hunters, fishermen and others keep returning. Lake Shelbyville continues to offer some of central Illinois' hottest fishing and hunting. And Cindy and her family still offer rustic log cabins to rent with a modern touch in their North Woods haven. Contact us today and get started making your own memories