UPPER LAKE >> While the calendar closed in on the season of the witch, for Lake County Certified Tourist Ambassadors, it is renewal season and similar to the spring Hitch who make a beeline from Lake to tributaries to spawn, Lake County advocates flock to the Tallman Hotel.
The international CTA are paid lobbyists for their locales, typically funded by the Chamber of Commerce or a convention center, but the Lake County chapter is an all-volunteer organization explained Michele Carson, chair of the local chapter. Carson kicked off membership renewal from the conference room of the iconic Tallman Hotel, 9550 Main Street, Upper Lake, October 28.
Despite the flow of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, times like these remind us of what’s really important; spending time with loved ones and doing things to give our minds a break noted Carson. “We’re here to enhance an awesome visitor experience, increase economic impact and build a positive destination image,” she said.
And perhaps most appropriate was to invite Bernie Butcher, owner (along with wife Lynn) of the elegant Tallman Hotel. Butcher provided a slide show of the crown jewel of north shore accommodations tracing its history back to 1874 when the hotel was built by founders Rufus and Mary Tallman. It flourished its first 20 years, since it was the terminus of stagecoach itineraries where passengers connected destinations by hard wagon recalled Butcher. “But why would somebody in the 1870s put a hotel in Upper Lake?” Butcher wondered aloud. Yet it was not Clear Lake most tourists were bound for then but Barlett Springs, 11 miles north of Clearlake Oaks.
The original hotel burned down in 1895 but was rebuilt by the next generation of Tallmans. And it was gold standard of tourism for many between 1890 to the late 1920s for those from San Francisco to Ft Bragg. But in the 1950s the nation saw rapid expansion of a relatively new common carrier. “It was Dwight Eisenhower who built the interstate highway system program,” Butcher said. “The I-80 that bypassed Sacramento and went straight to Lake Tahoe that drew more tourism. Tourists would say, ‘Oh I don’t want to go up that winding road (Highway 20).”
The hotel changed names to the Rice Hotel when descendent Winnie Tallman married a pool hall owner named Hank Rice. It continued to prosper until their last paying guest checked out in 1961 and eventually came under the ownership of the County of Lake, much of that time with a For Sale out front. In August of 2002, Butcher and his wife Lynn threw caution to the wind and purchased it. From 2003 though 2005 it was under extensive renovation. “We got pure Black Walnut trees from the parking lot to make the Dining Room bar (Blue Wing, an adjacent restaurant) and the hotel reception desk,” recalled Butcher. Grand opening was held in June of 2006.
During a break in the proceedings Carson recognized numerous CTA members who acquired five years of service with their 5-Year lapel pins. One of those was Laura McAndrews Sammel, long-time booster of the county. “She is not only the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, which we’re (CTA) but she’s performing in 9 to 5 The Musical,” praised Carson. “So, thank you for all you do- especially supporting this program. It’s not just because it’s under the county Chamber but because it’s in her heart.”
In a tour afterword, Jeremy Roon, the Tallman Hotel assistant manager since 2020, herded many CTA members through distinctly individual hotel rooms many praised. Assistant Manager Roon started with the second floor of bungalow suits. “What sets these apar, we have one and two bedrooms, with a separate living room that have sofa sleepers, two armoires and doors lead to a shared balcony,” he said. From the upper veranda rooms Roon identified their distinctive feature. “These differ from the downstairs rooms, where you don’t enter and exit from the living room,” he said. “These have a most comfortable feel, and it has the best exposure of all the rooms on the property. You enter from a type of ‘mudroom’ there’s a space and then a bathroom, a bedroom, a kitchenette, and following that the living room.”
From the front of the conference room, Butcher reminded the audience of three dozen, it often served as a business meeting room yet also a performance space. “And we do lot of music at the restaurant,” he told the audience. “We have background music five nights a week, and we have concert series like the Blues Festival at the Labor Day holiday. There’s a lot of local musicians who are quite good and are willing to appear.”
Carson reminded everyone the next CTA training class is November 14 at the New Konocti Harbor Resort in Kelseyville. “It’s good to attend educational ventures like this one,” she said. “We broaden our outlook attending (CTA) meetings. Whether by talking to locals or visitors, we increase our knowledge.”
