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LODGINGS
Ben Maddox House / 2.5*
601 N ENCINA ST, VISALIA; 559/739-0721
Sleep inside a sequoia tree? Only in a sense: carpenters built Ben Maddox
House in 1876 out of lumber cut from the "big tree" sequoia
groves in the Sierra Nevada. Ben Maddox was part owner of the Mt. Whitney
Power Co., which brought the first electricity to the Valley. He and other
citizens also spearheaded efforts to preserve the redwoods, riding on
horseback into the mountains with a delegation from Washington, D.C. Today
this stately yellow Victorian with its white-columned portico and four
guest bedrooms is a sweet reminder of his local contributions. Some guests
prefer the spacious Ben Maddox bedroom with its large Italian marble bathroom.
Others may choose the Rose Room for its floral motif and its more private
location at the side of the house. In summer, a swimming pool offers a
cool escape from valley heat. Another big attraction is owner Diane Muro's
cooking. Unlike most B&B hosts, she lets guests choose from a full
breakfast menu. Be sure to ask for her homemade jams—a bitter-cherry
tree out front provides a mother lode of fruit each year. On warm mornings
you can take breakfast outdoors on a deck. $; AE, DIS, MC, V; checks OK;
www.benmaddox.com; 5 blocks north of
Main St at Race St.
The Spalding House Bed & Breakfast Inn / 2.5*
631 N ENCINA ST, VISALIA; 559/739-7877
Few houses in California boast a porch as grand as Spalding House's.
The mansion's wide, low-roofed outdoor "room" sweeps down one
side facing east (toward the snowcapped Sierra Nevada, visible on a clear
day) and offers guests a seat in a Craftsman-style swing. A fine example
of Colonial Revival style, built in 1901, Spalding House was a lumberman's
dream home. The public rooms still give evidence of a gracious ease that
once cosseted a prominent family. The three guest rooms are sedate and
of the period: no wild wallpaper or "theme rooms" here. What
you will find is accommodations tastefully decorated with antiques, white
linens,
and gauzy curtains. One touch of whimsy is in the Aviary Room, where a
beautiful little sitting porch has been fashioned from what once was a
colorful tiled aviary. The Cutler Suite was once a sleeping porch, and
the Spalding Suite has a large sitting area off the bedroom. Owners Wayne
and Peggy Davidson are gracious hosts, and Wayne cooks a great complimentary
breakfast in the house's vast kitchen. $; AE, MC, V; checks OK; 6 blocks
north of downtown at Grove. |