When my niece in Quincy, Ill., sent me an e-mail message in February that the family was planning on coming out to visit me in April, I was ecstatic. “My Dad's concerned about you and wants to make sure that you're OK.”

Being the youngest in a family of 9, I've always had siblings, aunts, uncles, etc., concerned about my welfare. However, this would be the first time that someone considered making a 2,000 trip in order “make sure.”

My niece's father, Verne Hagstrom, is actually my brother-in-law. His wife, my sister Ronnie, passed away about two years ago. As far as checking up on my welfare goes, I guess that he felt obligated to pick up where Ronnie left off.

When my niece inquired about places to stay, and said they were considering staying at the Santa Maria Inn, I couldn't have been happier, and prepared myself to tell them everything there was to know about the place, and what a great choice they'd made. I was wishing, though, that they'd be here on May 16, the 91st anniversary of the place. However, since that wasn't to be, I made the best of the situation.

The Hagstrom entourage arrived April 15, and you can guess who met them at the door!

They'd hardly unpacked when I insisted that they come downstairs and look at the Historical Room.

As I pointed to the picture of Frank McCoy, the talk began, and didn't end until we'd come full-circle.

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Frank McCoy was a man who followed his dream, and unlike many people who try to follow their dreams, he had the wherewithal to see it through.

Born in Tyrone, Ireland, while his mother was settling an estate over there, McCoy was educated in private schools and graduated from the University of Missouri.

He came to the Santa Maria Valley just after the turn of the century to work for the Union Sugar Company in Betteravia, where one of his duties was to arrange for the housing and feeding of the company's employees.

While traveling extensively for his work, he noted the almost total lack of comfortable accommodations for the traveling man, and vowed one day to change the situation.

McCoy traveled often to England, where he was so impressed with the English type of hostelry that he began a lifelong collection of pewter, copper, books and paintings. Appreciating the finer things in life, he loved flowers, and was always ready to share his many interests with others.

While working at Union Sugar, he also leased some land, planted beans, and then sold them to the government. In 1915, when his bean venture had given him the means with which to pursue his dream of forming a business of his own, McCoy retired from the sugar plant, took a year's vacation, and traveled up and down the coast in search of a suitable location for the hotel he was determined to one day build. He later explained, “There comes a time when a man tires of working for others, no matter how fine the salary, so I decided to build a hotel and run it.”

One sleepless night at a local hotel, his thoughts turned to the old Blochman property on the southern outskirts of town, and he decided to take a walk down to take a good look at the place. The house had been vacant since 1909, when the Blochmans moved to Berkeley. Although the house was almost hidden by many trees and had an overgrowth of bushes, McCoy felt the place had definite possibilities.

The next day, he began negotiations with the Blochmans, and after receiving title to the property, he began planning to convert the old house into a hotel. Since the English inns had long impressed him, he had a local builder design the same style of building. In 1916, construction began on the first addition of what was soon to become the Santa Maria Inn.

Despite the efforts of his friends, no one was able to convince him not to be involved in such a crazy venture. “Well, since you won't listen to us, you should get rid of the jungle so that people can at least see the property.”

McCoy not only kept the eucalyptus trees that were planted in 1879, and the old magnolia and palm trees in front of the building's entrance, but he added a few trees, as well.

The historic Santa Maria Inn was opened by Frank McCoy on May 16, 1917, with 24 rooms, each one with a bath (something almost unheard of in those early days), plus a kitchen and dining room ready to serve the tastes of its most discriminating of guests.

As an added touch, he tastefully dotted the interior with his collection of copper, pewter, carved chests and historical documents.

McCoy's good friend, Raphael “Ray” Cooney, district manager of the National Supply Company, was the first to sign the guest register. Ironically, almost 36 years later, Ray died at the inn.

The reputation of the Santa Maria Inn spread like wildfire, and it wasn't long before it became a regular stopping place for famous people traveling up to Hearst Castle. Almost from the beginning, names signed on the guest register were from the “who's who” of Hollywood's Golden Age.

McCoy's love of flowers was as widely known as the inn he beautified. Fresh flowers from his private gardens filled the dining room tables, windows and lobby, giving birth to the saying that “It's always blossom time at the Santa Maria Inn.”

During the month of May when the gladioli were in bloom, McCoy used 1,200 to 1,500 flowers a week to grace the dining room and kitchen of his exceptionally fine and unique hotel.

Some of the first oil wells in the valley were drilled on McCoy's land southwest of town, and a street was named “McCoy Lane” when his wells attracted attention to that area. He had four wells on his property.

Contrary to his friends' earlier predictions of sure failure, McCoy's inn was a stunning success, and it soon became necessary to add additional rooms. By 1928, his inn had 85 rooms, attracting the world's elite and famous.

In order to help make each guest feel at home, he would study the register every day and make a point on introducing himself to each guest.

The people McCoy personally chose to help him run his hotel became loyal employees and friends who remained with him for many years. Their friendship and loyalty lasted a lifetime, and undoubtedly contributed to the growth and success of one of the most celebrated hotels in California.

Fred Pimentel, who'd gone to work at the inn when he was in high school, eventually became McCoy's right hand man, and worked his way up to being appointed manager. Pimentel's photo appears under that of Frank McCoy in the historical room.

In addition to developing his inn, McCoy was active in community affairs, and personally helped several boys and girls in the community obtain a higher education.

McCoy lived at the inn, except for the four years he spent at the El Encanto Hotel, a building he bought in 1938. He sold the Santa Barbara hotel in 1942, and returned to Santa Maria.

Although his bout with a sacroiliac ailment in 1946 lasted only a few months, McCoy decided to slow down. He confined himself to his apartments at the inn, and even though he continued to run the inn, and made occasional business and pleasure trips, the public rarely saw him.

He confided in his close friends that, until his illness, he'd never known what he was missing by not reading more. “I learned I could look after the hotel, yet keep to myself and do a lot of reading I've been wanting to do all my life.”

This was a complete turn-around for the man who had spent his evenings in the lobby surrounded by guests or friends. But it was time for him to conserve his strength with solitude.

The hotel experienced the usual ups and downs of business, with Fred Pimentel, McCoy's manager of many years, recalling one very rainy and cold day when not a soul came into the place, except for a man who came in to use the telephone, and paid $1.25 for the cost of the call.

Because the inn was located on State Highway 101, it was the favorite stopping place of movie stars, government officials and international politicians. Luxury cars such as Rolls Royces and Bentleys, all driven by uniformed chauffeurs, pulled up at the inn in record numbers.

One of its earliest employees (William Mizell Funk), who began working in 1926 as a bellboy, sometimes filled in for the Chinese men who worked in the kitchen. He remembered the inn making its own ice, the walk-in ice boxes, and the ice cream made of pure cream. He was the first manager of the Tap Room when it opened in 1941, and had to chip his own ice for the hand-shaken mixed drinks.

The meals prepared at the inn were gastronomic delights, with none costing more than $15 (sirloin steak, served plain or Bordelaise).

Two popular local men, Ira Gin and Angel Bourbon, served as bartenders in the Tap Room of the historic inn, and “Gin and Bourbon” soon became synonymous with the inn. The two became so popular that Mr. McCoy had postcards printed of the inn “Gin and Bourbon.” Gin, who was still in high school when he began working as a bus boy for Mr. McCoy, passed away June 6, 1995, and Angel, who now works part-time, has been working at the famed hotel for 52 years.

The Historic Santa Maria Inn, truly an “inn of distinction,” and a hallmark of elegance, stands as an everlasting tribute to Frank McCoy, the man who created it, and the people who helped to make it a success.

By the time my guided tour of the historical room ended, the Hagstroms were worn out and someone made a comment about my ever moving mouth. I believe that he called me a “motor mouth.”

Interestingly enough, the family liked the inn so much, they opted out of taking tours of the countryside. Not even the famed Foxen Canyon Wine Trail drive interested them.

My brother-in-law, who had served as mayor of Quincy, Ill., for three terms, walked down to the civic center and later told me how impressed he was with the city. As they loaded into their van on Thursday to drive down to Los Angeles and ultimately return to Quincy, Verne told me how impressed he was with the city, and that I'd made the right choice in moving here. I knew that already.

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The Santa Maria Valley Historical Society is presenting a display of local Jewish culture at its museum at 616 South Broadway. The exhibit includes artifacts and antiques, photographs and memorabilia dating back to the mid-1800s. This interesting segment of Santa Maria's population has a rich and varied history. Several of the items on display are from private collections and will be available for public viewing only during this exhibit. The Historical Society gives thanks to Jill Targer, who organized this event.

Shirley Contreras writes for the Santa Maria Historical Society. Contact her at shirley2@pronet.net.