A pair of treasured, historic Jacksonville inns are now welcoming guests with new owners. The McCully House and the (Judge) Touvelle House are open for business, and everyone’s working behind the scenes to pamper and impress weary travelers. I dropped in recently to discover how they arrived at this momentous juncture and hear their plans.
The stately McCully House on California Street, the oldest home in Oregon operating as an inn, rests in the capable hands of Kathryn Moseley, and her husband, Phil Segal.
The rooms are bright, welcoming, and historic with a modern vibe. Each space retains a distinct personality with appealing names like the Fireplace and Library Suites, and all are slowly being upgraded. Luxurious Beautyrest Hybrid beds had been delivered the day prior and received oohs and aahs from the first guests. “It’s going to be more like a boutique hotel, with guest pantries for breakfast so guests can help themselves.”
Mark your calendar for October 9th, when they will hold an open house in conjunction with the Jacksonville Art Walk. “Our goal is to have the McCully House Inn be a destination for guests who are looking for a “home away from home” experience.”
Our second visit is to the Touvelle House on Oregon Street. For years I’ve driven past the grand old property, built in 1916, and admired its inviting porch and lush grounds. New owners, James Soule and Kristin Bria met me.
If not for Facebook, the Touvelle House may have continued to languish, for that’s how James and Kristin first connected in the Napa Valley. “He reached out and invited me for a glass of champagne to celebrate my birthday,” Kristin said. “I said sure, why not. Neither of us expected anything. We had so many mutual friends and we thought how did we not meet before? We were probably at the same events at the same time. And that was it.”
For a full year the two have worked to return the winning aspects of the old house to vibrancy and to add decorator touches of their own. James and Kristin are onsite innkeepers, and even with her career flourishing, Kristin cooks a full breakfast for inn guests. A heavenly aroma drifted from the kitchen.
“I have been working with autistic children and young adults for 32 years. I went from being a clinician for 25 years working in-home and in different settings.” When the company owner discovered she was moving to Oregon, Kristin was instantly promoted to the Director of Administration for the Pacific Northwest. “And we just acquired another company which is in Washington and Idaho, so I’ll be taking over that,” Kristin added.
James gave me the tour of each sumptuous room, starting with the Fern Room because of the ferns growing just outside. “The deer will come in and just drop their fawns for the day, literally, right out here. It must feel protected to them. The does go off to feed for the day and they come back and fetch them.”
James is the project guy. “I’ve been in hospitality for decades. Then in the last five years I sort of semi-retired. Everyone in my family is like this. My brother lives in the old parsonage in town. He just got his contractor’s license. I’ve seen my brother rebuild four or five houses. My mom’s handy, my sister, my brother, so I started a home rebuilding service north of San Francisco and just got clobbered with business. That’s what makes this work. If we had to pay people to do all the repairs it would never happen.” His 90-year-old mother, Damaris, visits from Pioneer Village and contributes her aesthetic by sewing curtains and cushions, and painting lovely watercolors.
Upper rooms, like the Heritage Oak, lift you among the treetops. All bedchambers offer feather beds perfect for lolling and window gazing at the birds and squirrels. Expansive windows allow for inspiring views throughout. And there is a pool.
“Bringing the pool back to life was a challenge,” James said. I wouldn’t have believed it gazing at the inviting water and surroundings. It had been shut down for a couple of years. “The pool guy came out every day probably for two weeks straight,” Kristin added.
James feels the fit is a natural one for him. “I used to joke with people and say you know when I retire, I’ll probably run a bed and breakfast. Be careful what you say.” They began looking in California, but came to Jacksonville to visit James’ mom, then Touvelle House popped-up on the radar. Kristin said, “The people have been so welcoming. I think I’ve met more people out walking the dog. And everybody is just so friendly and excited to hear that Touvelle is going to open again. I love the welcome.”
Now you know the inn-side story.
Featured image is Touvelle House new owners, James Soule and Kristin Bria with Rawling.