The historic Century House Inn and Museum, formerly the old McCloud Hospital, and 1.8 acres went on the auction block Saturday morning at in a foreclosure sale in McCloud.
The starting bid was set at $160,00 to cover a balloon payment past due by owners Steve and Elizabeth Clapper. No bids were forthcoming, so the property remains in the hands of the mortgage holder, Dorothy Larsen.
The one day event was advertised and facilitated by great Western Auctioneers Inc. of Grants Pass, Ore., with auctioneer Col. Dan Vest conducting.
Vest made sure that prospective buyers were aware that the old historic building was free of any liens, in great disrepair, needs a new roof, has electrical and plumbing problems, and is being sold “as is.”
Prior to the auction, all the building’s furnishings, including antiques, collectables, early furniture, old photographs, historical hospital items such as surgical tools, medicine bottles, stainless steel and glass hypodermic needles, various sized strait-jackets and safety nets were removed from the building and placed outside for better viewing and access.
Despite intermittent showers throughout the day, buyers remained steady into the evening.
Due to the poor economy, among “other things,” Clapper said he had no recourse but to sell the building’s historical contents to make up for his losses.
When Clapper and his wife purchased the building and grounds in 1995 they were forced by mortgage holder Dr. Andrew Larsen (since deceased) to buy the building’s contents separately. They began renovating the old building in 2000.
Built in 1902, paranormal investigation two years ago
The late Victorian Queen Anne style building was built in 1902 by the McCloud River Lumber Company and was a landmark in McCloud history. It functioned as a hospital until the early ’60s. Over the years it has been modified several times.
From the start of their purchase of the old building, the Clappers maintain that strange things occur – like footsteps in the hallway and stairway; a dark figure standing in the hallway one moment, then gone the next.
Inn guests over the years have also reported unusual occurrences.
“One lady in particular, reportedly made up her bed and left the room,” said Clapper. “Upon returning she noticed the wrinkled up place where someone had been sitting.”
Two years ago, on Clapper’s request, a Redding paranormal investigations team with all their equipment set up in the building overnight and, according to a later press release, reported not only seeing shadows but a dark figure going up the staircase and footsteps in the hallway.
“I’ve noticed a lot more night-time walking around here lately. It seems something or somebody doesn’t like what’s going on,” said Clapper.
Two years ago the old hospital was visited by two film crews and was featured on a segment of the HDTV television show, “If Walls Could Talk.”
Bits and pieces of McCloud history disappearing
Depending on who you talk to, McCloud residents’ emotions over auctioning off McCloud history vary.
Wilma Claro, who came to McCloud as a teenager in 1944, said she worked off and on for 20 years as a nurses aid for Doctors Runckel and Dickenson, until it closed.
“I have a lot of memories,” Claro said. “Lately, things aren’t as good in McCloud as they used to be and that’s just the way it is.”
“It’s really sad to see bits and pieces of our history disappear,” said Louis Forneris.
Forneris was born at the old McCloud Hospital in 1941 and remembers having his tonsils taken out there when he was six or seven years old.
“I remember sitting on the front steps, waiting for my mom to pick me up in our ’41 Chevy,” he said. “So many things that were ‘McCloud’ have gone away – our railroad, our steam engines, the dinner train. The tourists they brought here were a source of revenue for our community. It’s really sad that everything inside the old building was auctioned off. I just don’t know what is going to happen to McCloud.”
“Too bad,” said longtime resident Betty Gray. “My third child was born in that hospital. That was the most inexpensive baby I had. As I recall it was less than $100.”
“Personally, as far as I’m concerned, this is the greatest loss to the community since the McCloud Opera House was torn down,” said Clapper. “We’ve lost a half million dollars we’ve invested – that was mostly credit cards and stuff. We totally destroyed our credit trying to save this building.
Clapper said he explored several sales options without any success.
“I see things going out the backdoor I know are over 100 years old. I just hate to see it going away. Once it’s gone it will never come together again.
“When it started going downhill is when they took the Seely Medical Clinic from here,” said Clapper. “That, at least was bringing in some money. Up to that point this was one of the oldest continuing operating medical facilities in the state of California,” he added.
Clapper said the service district fees were $480 a month for three people living there.
“I didn’t think that was right. For the past three years the county recognized us as a museum, which helped a lot on property taxes,” said Clapper. “I’m afraid the building is going to be torn down. But economically, it makes sense. It needs a new roof and that will cost about $250,000.”
McCloud, not unlike other communities in the north state, has fallen on hard times. The struggling economy and the continuing loss of jobs has resulted in many family homes and businesses nationwide being forced into foreclosure.
Over the past few years the community of McCloud has taken more than its share of hits – losing the railroad, the Sunset Dinner Train, the steam engines, and the proposed water bottling facility which many thought would help put jobs back into the community.
This weekend’s hit on the auctioning off historical hospital items, antiques and early-day collectables leaves residents of the small community wondering – what is going to happen next?
Louis Forneris is probably the only person in McCloud who still has a part of him, surgically removed at the old hospital 53 years ago, in a jar of alcohol.
Yep, his tonsils. Those can be classified as collectables, can’t they?
