Headlands Inn

A Victorian saltbox inn with a wandering history, moved by horse and log rollers before settling into one of Mendocino's most recognizable lodging corners. Some Mendocino buildings look as if they have always been exactly where they are. This one has a better story than that.

Overview

Headlands Inn stands at 10453 Howard Street, at the corner of Howard and Albion Streets in Mendocino.

Today it operates as a bed-and-breakfast in the historic village, offering guest rooms, breakfast, gardens, fireplaces and views within walking distance of Mendocino's shops, restaurants and headlands.

But the building did not begin here. According to the inn's own documented history, it was built in 1868 on Main Street and began life as something very different: a small barbershop.

Location

The inn occupies the corner of Howard and Albion Streets at 10453 Howard Street in Mendocino village, a short walk from Main Street and the Mendocino headlands.

History

The original building was considerably smaller than the inn people recognize today. Headlands Inn's history says it was constructed in 1868 as a barbershop on Main Street. In 1873, second and third stories were added so barber John Barry and his family could live above the business. Before tourists slept in its upstairs rooms, those upper floors were family living quarters above a working Mendocino barbershop.

Another change came in 1884. The former barbershop became what the inn's history describes as a "high class" restaurant called the Oyster and Coffee Saloon. At that time, the property was owned by W. J. Wilson, who also used the upstairs rooms as an annex for the Wilson Hotel. By then the building had already served as a barbershop, family residence, restaurant and hotel lodging.

Its biggest move, however, was still ahead. In 1893, George Switzer purchased the building. Instead of keeping it on Main Street, he moved the entire structure to what is now the corner of Howard and Albion Streets. And this was not a modern house move with hydraulic dollies and heavy trucks. The building was pulled by horses, with logs placed underneath it as rollers. As the house moved forward, the logs could be repositioned and used again.

It is one of those details that turns an old-building history into something you can almost picture: a multi-story wooden structure slowly traveling through Mendocino behind horses while crews worked the rollers beneath it. When the trip was finished, the building had reached the location where Headlands Inn still stands today.

The property later became closely associated with Bessie and John Strauss. They purchased the house in 1924 and lived there until 1979. During that period the building became known as the Bessie Strauss House — roughly 55 years with the same family.

The Building Today

Eventually the old residence entered another phase and became the Headlands Inn Bed & Breakfast. The inn describes itself as a historic Mendocino bed-and-breakfast with an English garden, individually appointed rooms, fireplaces and breakfast served to guests.

Current Mendocino County tourism information continues to list Headlands Inn as a lodging property in Mendocino Village and describes the building as a historic New England-style Victorian saltbox. Its present address is 10453 Howard Street, Mendocino, California.

Headlands Inn still preserves pieces of its earlier history in the names of several guest rooms. Rooms are named for people associated with the property, including John Barry, W. J. Wilson, George Switzer and Bessie Strauss.

Why It Matters

One of the nicest things about the Headlands Inn story is that the modern business has not completely erased the people who came before it. The names Barry, Wilson, Switzer and Strauss remain attached to rooms in the inn, representing very different chapters: John Barry and his family living above the original barbershop; W. J. Wilson operating the Oyster and Coffee Saloon and using the upper floor for hotel guests; George Switzer buying the structure and moving it across town; and Bessie and John Strauss making it their home for more than half a century.

Headlands Inn is now more than 150 years old, based on its documented 1868 construction date. During that time it has been associated with a remarkable variety of uses: a barbershop, a family residence, a restaurant, an annex to a hotel, a longtime private home, and eventually a bed-and-breakfast. But its most unusual chapter may still be the journey between its first address and its present one. A building that looks completely settled at Howard and Albion once rolled through Mendocino behind a team of horses.

Community Memories

There were no replies yet on the original post when this expanded history was prepared. That means the documented history has plenty of room for another chapter.

Former guests, employees, neighbors and longtime Mendocino residents may still remember earlier owners, changes to the property, the transition into a bed-and-breakfast, or stories about the Bessie Strauss years that are not preserved in the written record.

Timeline

1868 — The building is constructed on Main Street as a barbershop.

1873 — Second and third stories are added so barber John Barry and his family can live above the business.

1884 — The building becomes the Oyster and Coffee Saloon under W. J. Wilson, who also uses the upstairs as an annex for the Wilson Hotel.

1893 — George Switzer purchases the building and moves it by horses and log rollers to the corner of Howard and Albion Streets.

1924 — Bessie and John Strauss purchase the house; it becomes known as the Bessie Strauss House.

1979 — The Strauss family's 55-year residence ends.

Today — The building operates as Headlands Inn Bed & Breakfast, with guest rooms named for Barry, Wilson, Switzer and Strauss.

Sources & Original Research: This history combines current business information, documented property history and original research. Sources include the official Headlands Inn website, particularly its detailed "History of the Inn," documenting the building's 1868 construction as a Main Street barbershop, the 1873 upper-story additions, John Barry and his family, the 1884 Oyster and Coffee Saloon, W. J. Wilson, George Switzer's 1893 purchase and move of the building by horses and log rollers, and Bessie and John Strauss's ownership beginning in 1924; current Headlands Inn lodging and amenities information; Visit Mendocino County lodging information; and the original Buildings and Businesses in Mendocino post provided by Gee Bee.