Pierpont Inn
| Pierpont Inn | |
| Hotel facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | 550 Sanjon Road , Ventura, California, US 93001 |
| Coordinates | 34°16′24″N 119°17′00″W / 34.27333°N 119.28333°W |
| Opening date | September 1910 |
| Developer | Josephine Pierpont |
| Architect | Sumner P. Hunt |
| Management | Three Thrones Hospitality |
| Owner | FPC LLC |
| No. of restaurants | 1 |
| No. of rooms | 86 |
The Pierpont Inn is a beautiful hotel in Ventura, California. It's built in a special style called Craftsman bungalow. This hotel sits high up on a bluff, giving amazing views of the Santa Barbara Channel and the Pacific Ocean. It first opened way back in 1910. It was made for people traveling by car who needed a nice place to rest. Today, it's known as a historic landmark in Ventura.
Contents
The Pierpont Inn's Story
How the Inn Began
In 1908, a woman named Josephine Pierpont bought land in Ventura, California. She wanted to build an inn there. She thought it would be perfect for the many people who were starting to travel by car. These "automobile enthusiasts" needed places to stop along the Pacific Coast.
Josephine hired an architect named Sumner P. Hunt. He designed the inn in the popular Craftsman Style. It was a California bungalow style building. The inn opened in September 1910. It was first called "The Wayside Inn," but later changed to "The Pierpont Inn."
Early Years and Growth
Josephine's son, Austen Pierpont, managed the inn for many years. In 1925, he made it bigger. He added two cottages built in the English Tudor style. These cottages were surrounded by lovely gardens.
The inn changed owners a few times. It started to look a bit run down. But in 1928, Mattie Vickers Gleichmann saved it. Mattie and her husband, Gus Gleichmann, decided to work in hospitality. They bought and fixed up the inn.
A Family Business
The inn reopened in 1929 as a family project. Mattie, her husband, her mother, sister, and children all helped out. They worked hard to make the Pierpont Inn a welcoming place.
Sadly, Gus Gleichmann passed away in 1938. Mattie decided to keep running the inn herself. She wanted to make sure her children had a good future. Her dream came true when her son, Ted, returned from World War II. He became the general manager.
Modernizing the Inn
Ted Gleichmann brought new ideas to the Inn. In 1954, he added an East Wing. This part had 12 new guestrooms, some with cozy fireplaces. Architect Robert R. Jones helped design these new parts.
Later, Ted added the Bluff House and West Wing. This brought the total number of rooms to 72. Ted was also a great golfer. He even won the 1963 Bing Crosby Invitational Tournament. His golf success brought many famous friends to stay at the Inn.
Changes Over Time
In the 1950s, the Ventura Freeway was built. It runs below the bluff where the Inn stands.
In 1976, some of Mattie Gleichmann's grandchildren built a sports club next to the Inn. It was called "The Pierpont Racquet Club." After Mattie passed away in 1996, the Inn was eventually sold to them.
The Pierpont Inn became a member of Historic Hotels of America in 2002. This is a special program that recognizes important historic places.
The hotel went through some tough times. In 2013, it joined Wyndham's hotel system. It was renamed Wyndham Garden Ventura Pierpont Inn. The new owners started making many improvements. In 2015, DKN Hotels took over and continued the renovations. Most recently, in 2023, Three Thrones Hospitality proposed more updates and improvements for the hotel.
Famous Visitors at the Inn
Hollywood Stars and Privacy Seekers
The Pierpont Inn was a popular spot for famous people. Many "Tinsel-town" (Hollywood) stars visited. People like Cecil B. DeMille, Bette Davis, Edward G. Robinson, and Charlie Chaplin came to relax. They enjoyed a break from filming movies in Hollywood.
The Inn was also a quiet place for famous couples who wanted privacy. Couples like Clark Gable & Carole Lombard and Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall stayed there. They wanted to keep their visits private. The Inn's location helped them escape the public eye.
Authors and Presidents
A local lawyer and author, Erle Stanley Gardner, wrote his "Perry Mason" books nearby. He even used the Inn as a setting in some of his novels. One example is "The Case of the Velvet Claws."
George H. W. Bush, who later became president, also stayed at the Inn. He visited with his wife Barbara and their son George W. Bush. They spent time there between 1949 and 1950. Bush senior was learning about the oil business at the time.
See also
