July 6, 1921 – Daisy Kelley MacCallum, along with her brother Otis Kelley and his family, departed by auto for a stay at Orr’s Hot Springs Resort, about 14 miles northwest of Ukiah. The Kelley family had vacationed at the resort since well before the turn of the century, when their father, William H. Kelley, would spend weeks there seeking relief from his rheumatoid arthritis in their hot baths.
In addition to the hot springs, the resort offered a first-class hotel, famous for fine meals, excellent accommodations, and moderate prices. The resort was so popular that summer that the Mendocino Beacon reported that visitors were being turned away.
A fire in 1938 destroyed the two-story hotel building, a nearby cottage, and the large dance hall. About 40 guests were staying at the hotel, but everyone escaped the flames. Although the hillside behind the hotel caught fire, the bath houses were saved. The resort was later rebuilt.
The Kelley House needs your help! Volunteer to be a docent or walking tour guide for a few hours each month. https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/volunteers/