Glen Tavern Inn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Glen Tavern Hotel
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | Santa Paula, California |
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| Built | 1911 |
| Architect | Crookshank & Summers; Hunt & Burns |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/craftsman, Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001225 |
| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1984 |
The Glen Tavern Inn is a historic hotel located in Santa Paula, Ventura County, California. This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is also an official landmark for both the City of Santa Paula and Ventura County. The hotel sits in the Santa Clara River Valley, about 12 miles (19 km) from the Pacific Ocean.
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History of the Glen Tavern Inn
The Glen Tavern Inn was built in 1911. At that time, Santa Paula was a busy and growing oil town. The hotel was designed by famous architects Burns and Hunt. Twenty-five wealthy local people helped pay for its construction.
The hotel was built right across from the train station. This was perfect for new people coming to the area. Many visitors were drawn to Santa Paula by the growing oil and citrus industries. The Inn also became a popular meeting spot for Santa Paula's important social groups.
Hollywood Comes to Town
In the 1930s, Hollywood discovered Santa Paula. The area's beautiful hills and scenery were close to Los Angeles. This made it a great place to film many Western movies. During this exciting time, the Glen Tavern Inn hosted many famous guests.
Stars like Carole Lombard and John Wayne stayed here. Even the famous magician Harry Houdini visited. The beloved dog actor, Rin Tin Tin, even had his own special suite! This was long before hotels commonly welcomed pets.
A Quiet Period and Restoration
Over time, the oil industry and Hollywood moved on from Santa Paula. The town became quieter, focusing more on farming and small-town life. A new train route, the Santa Susana Tunnel, opened in 1904. This route bypassed Santa Paula, making the train depot less important. The hotel then went through a difficult period. It changed owners many times and slowly became run-down.
Luckily, developers decided to save the hotel. From 2005 to 2007, the Glen Tavern Inn was carefully renovated. During this work, in April 2006, a fire broke out. Firefighters quickly put out the blaze, saving the historic building from major damage. The burned part was rebuilt.
The hotel reopened in 2007 as a full-service hotel. It now has a restaurant and lounge. The renovation kept the Inn's historic charm. It also added modern comforts for guests. On February 24, 2008, the Glen Tavern Inn received special awards. These came from the United States Senate, United States Congress, and the California State Assembly. They recognized the successful restoration project.
Ghost Stories
The Glen Tavern Inn has a motto: "Where the Past Comes to Life." Some people believe the Inn is haunted! In July 2007, the Ventura Paranormal Society held its yearly meeting there.
In 2013, the Inn was featured on an episode of Ghost Adventures. Special guests Brit Morgan and Mimi Page joined the show. The Inn was also shown on an episode of The Dead Files in 2014.
