Page 202 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SPRING 2025 GRAND VOYAGE

rently closed for extensive renovation.
Because the same family owned the
Kelley House for so long, it remains a time
warp — a delight for us historical home
buffs.
The Ford House dates even earlier, to
1854. It was said to be the second house
built with lumber from the first mill built in
Mendocino. One of the great attractions in
this historic home is a 4x8-foot diorama of
what Mendocino looked like in 1890 — I was
amazed to see how little it has changed.
J.B. Ford arrived in Mendocino in 1851,
employed by San Francisco lumberman
Henry Meiggs, to find salvage from a ship
that had sunk off Point Cabrillo. He didn’t
find the ship but did recognize the value in
the huge redwoods that stretched for
miles. Meiggs and Ford built the first
sawmill to harvest those redwoods, which
helped rebuilt San Francisco after the 1906
earthquake. J.B. Ford is recognized as the
founder of Mendocino.
Basing myself in Mendocino was a
very excellent choice. The town is small —
maybe about 10 square blocks basically —
and entirely walkable. There are excellent
restaurants and watering holes that re-

Greenwood Beach in Elk is a stunning
stretch of black sand and rocks. Right:The
Ford House is one of the oldest homes
built from redwood in the The Ford House
is one of the oldest homes built from
redwood in the region.region.

202 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SPRING 2025