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THE JEFFERY HOTEL
Haunted and Historic Crossroad of the Gold Rush

On what is now one of the back routes to Yosemite National Park from Modesto or Merced or traveling up the “49er Highway” which runs up the spine of the Sierra golden foothills through California’s gold rush towns you come to a crossroads called Coulterville. A stop sign and and rusting miners cart on display outside the Coulterville branch of the Mariposa Country History Museum now are the markers of what once was a thriving gold mining town and stage stop, but the most stand out feature of this crossroad is the Jeffery Hotel with “Estab. 1852” clearly marked on its unique yellow façade.

The Jeffery Hotel has managed to survive a number of fires which had burned down most of the town. In the early history of Yosemite, Coulterville was the place to stop for a relaxing rest and a drink at the saloon to wash the dust from a dry throat of a dusty coach ride and the hotel register shows its connection to another time. President Theodore Roosevelt stayed at the Jeffery, as did John Muir and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Famed stage coach bandit Black Bart probably stayed here, too, along with a few others along the old stage coach road. The Jeffery Hotel had been owned by the Jeffery family after its establishment by George Jeffery from the original Magnolia Saloon and fandango hall still part of the hotel.

The Jeffery Hotel changed hands from the original family in 2004 and new owners Peter and Cherylann Schimmelfennig, who fell in love with it on a motorcycle ride through the Sierra foothills and have completely and lovingly refreshed and redecorated the structure to maintain its romantic old world charm to compliment its history with the comforts of a modern hotel. Hopefully their efforts have pleased the number of ghosts said to haunt the place. Cherylann claims 17 “friendly spirits”. I don’t know if she’s met them all yet, but the hotel offers a log book where visitors can put down their experiences. Maybe you can add yours if you meet the phantom maid on the stairs to the second floor or have a drink with the old miner in the Magnolia Saloon which remains pretty much as it once was with live bands often playing. (More haunted hotels see JUST US GHOSTS Sierra Sky Ranch and GO NATIVE TO YOSEMITE
The Groveland Hotel)

Perfect for a romantic getaway or an adventure trip into the central Sierras, the Jeffery Hotel offers stay and play room packages for wine tasting trips or gold-panning adventures, or ask for your special interests whether white-water rafting, boating, fishing or rock-climbing. They’ll even a arrange a corporate retreat or find some motorcycle riding pals for a ride along the winding cliffs of scenic Highway 49. © Bargain Travel West

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Jeffery Hotel
Phone 209-878-3471

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