A gun battle ensued and they dispatched rather quickly. In 1918, William and Ruby Cunningham bought the station from Jack Hammond. They changed the name of the business to Tioga Lodge. They made many changes over the years. By 1918, the Lodge was known for its excellent food and service. That tradition is continued today! Mrs. Cunningham's waiters were of Chinese descent. They were all attired in white jackets as they served their customers. Even the Governor of California was a happy customer. Beautiful rose gardens grew on the lakeside of facility where the restaurant was located. Another building was moved to the property and it became the first Post Office in the Mono Lake area. Soon a number of cabins, a motel and for tent cabins for camping were added. A gas station was built to serve those with “horseless carriages”. In time a marina was constructed. It was very popular with water skiers and the Lodge hosted several boat races. A pavilion was built along the shores of Mono Lake to cater to those enjoying music and dancing. Mrs. Cunningham's thriving facility could accommodate about 60 guests per night.

After many prosperous years, a devastating flood roared down on Tioga Lodge from the canyon above in 1955. In just a few minutes, a five foot high wall of water washed away most of the resort. Ruby Cunningham was naturally heartbroken. She had every intention of rebuilding, but was never able to reach her goal of bringing Tioga Lodge back to the way it once was. The property was turned over to James Hathaway, then to Gloria Ma. Before long, Gloria had to relocate to San Diego. She closed the doors to Tioga Lodge with the hope that at some time and under the right circumstances, the right person would come along and return the property to it's former glory.

As luck would have it, in the early 1990s, Walter Vint and his wife, Lou, were working in the area and wondered why this wonderful resort was closed. Where others might have seen disrepair and an abundance of overgrowth, Walter saw a beautifully restored resort, complete with restaurant, cabins, manicured grounds and much more. He found Gloria Ma, explained his vision and together they created a partnership to bring the facility back to life.

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