Newly Refreshed
The Bluebird Inn Honors the Legacy of the Historic Alderbrook Manor…
Since the 1990s, the Alderbrook Manor had been an institution in Etna. That bed and breakfast was known for its quaint 1870s Victorian charm, along with the legendary hiker’s hut that catered specifically to the thousands of Pacific Crest Trail hikers who came from all over the world and made their way into town. So when the previous owners retired and closed their doors, there was a global sigh of sadness. For a while, the old house remained closed, its future a mystery. But suddenly, there were new owners, a flurry of activity, lots of curious neighbors an several upgrades. And finally, it emerged ready for its newly, refreshed life as the Bluebird Inn. “All throughout the Inn, we’ve tried to honor the historic beauty of the Alderbrook and bring it out even more,” explains the Inn’s manager, Caleb Agron. “We’ve done a lot of restoration to the rooms. We added air conditioning, we painted and we added new bathroom installments where they were needed. We’ve also done updates like new beds, furniture and fresh art on the walls, while still trying to keep much of it in an antique style.”
Agron was also a key part of the physical restoration and remembers some of the more unique moments of renovating a historic home. “In what we now call the Wild Rose Suite, the closet has a passage door today, but there wasn’t always a door there. Initially, when we got into the house, there used to be just a sink in that closet. Like no bathroom, no toilet, just a sink. And for the longest time, we kept the sink in there, not sure what we were going to do with it, until we finally decided to redo a bathroom that was on the other side of the wall. So, we finally took out the sink so we could access the plumbing on the other side more easily. But if you look on the floor, you can still see where that sink used to be, where we had to cut into the floor to access the pipes underneath.”
The renovations to the property have also extended to the old Hiker’s Hut, rebranded as the Wayfarer’s Cottage. This portion of the Inn offers adjacent hostel-like accommodations. “We wanted to bring the hut back to life. So, when we got in there, we put in air conditioning, WiFi, all new mattresses and bedding. We also put in new flooring and a tankless water heater,” says Agron. The Cottage also has its own bathroom with a shower, a kitchenette and six bunks. The new setup not only caters to hikers, but offers a very flexible space for people who want to rent out the entire Inn for things like weddings and family reunions. “In our main house, we have four rooms, which are technically five rooms because there are three bedrooms and a two-room suite. Each room has its own bathroom. And with the Cottage’s six bunks, we can sleep up to 16 people comfortably in a pinch, although we have done more than that before as needed.”
While much attention has been put on the “bed” side of things, the “breakfast” side is also drawing rave reviews. “Breakfasts are the most fun. It’s really one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, we provide our guests with a ticket that they can just take down the road to the amazing Farmhouse Bakery. I love seeing the look on their faces when they come back and tell me how shocked they are that a small, rural town bakery could be as good as anything they’ve had in Paris. On Sundays and Mondays, however, we have the most special time, because that’s when we cook a locally sourced breakfast on site for all of our guests. Just this morning we had a family from Alabama, a couple from Marin, and then hikers from Germany, Taiwan and Tennessee. They all sat down at a table together to share an experience they probably will never otherwise have.”
So far, Agron says the feedback and support for the Bluebird have been overwhelmingly positive. “I’ve heard a number of people say that they loved the Alderbrook, and that they were a little bit worried when they saw it transfer to other hands. But, as people have started to come by and see it, they’ve decided they love the Bluebird, as well. Many times when I’m out mowing the lawn, I’ll have people walk by on the street, and they’ll just say, ‘Thank you so much for restoring this place. It fills our hearts to see it thriving again.’”•
Bluebird Inn • 836 Sawyers Bar Road, Etna• (530) 467-5800
www.etnabluebird.com
