History

Cliff Crest Bed and Breakfast Inn is an original 1887 Queen Anne Victorian. The first owner was former California Lieutenant Governor William Jeter. He added the Solarium where you will be served your delicious home-made breakfast with view to the ocean. The Solarium is decorated with stained glass windows dating to 1902 – probably with the first Tiffany glass on the West Coast. Lt. Gov. Jeter married a local Santa Cruzan girl Jenny Bliss and built “Jenny’s Room” for her which is now among the guest rooms. William Jeter and Jenny Bliss were instrumental in preserving the old-growth coast redwood grove in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, where you will find a specially labeled “Jeter” tree. Late into life, Jenny could be seen riding her horse-drawn carriage into town.

Cliff Crest’s garden, featuring several California redwoods, was designed by Scottish horticulturist John McLaren who was superintendent of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park for 53 years. Our guests now enjoy the garden which also boasts bamboo as well as green-thumbed innkeeper Adriana’s gorgeous flowers, roses and birds of paradise just to name a few.

Adriana Gehriger Gil is an accomplished artist. You will see her paintings and sculptures adorning the walls and ledges throughout the home and property. The “White Horse” is a life sized horse Adriana sculpted in 2009 that passers-by can see from the street. Adriana’s art is inspired by nature and people. She paints on wood, canvas, paper and leather; she uses all media including oil, acrylic and crayon, and sculpts in clay, bronze and cement. Adriana grew up in Colombia, South America. Her motto is “mi casa es su casa” which translates to “my house is your house”!

Constantin Gehriger, PhD grew up in Switzerland and is a chemical engineering expert consultant who performs environmental and forensic assignments. He earned his Chemistry PhD from the University of California in Santa Cruz in the 70s when he met Adriana. He and his family have been collecting art for generations which you will also see at the Cliff Crest Bed and Breakfast Inn.

Constantin and Adriana restored the two-story Carriage House that dates back to 1878. Next, they built “Anna’s Barn”, named in honor of their daughter Anna C. Gehriger, an attorney and certified workplace investigator. They have done all the restoration and construction at Cliff Crest as owner-builders. Out of this experience, “Constantin’s Handyman Services” has risen.

Constantin and Adriana are multi-lingual: Come visit and try your German, Swiss-German, Spanish, French and Italian.