Tour of Los Alamos

Step back in time to this
Charming Western Town

Historic Depot Mall in Los Alamos
A Los Alamos historical landmark is the only remaining depot of the Pacific Coast Railway--it’s definitely worth a visit.

 Los Alamos was founded in 1876 by John Bell and James Shaw, who owned adjoining 14,000-acre ranches. They each allocated one-half square mile from their ranches for the town.  The dividing line between the ranches was named “Centennial Street” in honor of the United State’s 100th birthday.  The heart of town still lies at the intersection of Bell and Centennial Streets, the location of the town’s flagpole.
  Los Alamos became a stagecoach stop in 1876 and by 1882, it hosted a depot for the narrow-gauge Pacific Coast Railway that linked San Luis Obispo and Los Olivos. It is now the only surviving depot of the Pacific Coast Railway and houses the Depot Mall and Wine Pub.
  By 1901, the Southern Pacific Railroad built a wider-gauge line that bypassed Los Alamos and the smaller railway couldn’t compete. It finally shut down in 1938, and Los Alamos became “frozen in time,” preserving much of the charm and atmosphere of a bygone era.
  When you want to escape from traffic and people, head for Los Alamos, where you will find two of the most unique getaways in the west.

Skyview Motel
www.theskyviewmotel.com
The first is the Skyview Motel, which sits atop one of the many hills in the area and offers spectacular views of surrounding farms, ranches and even the historic downtown area of Los Alamos itself. The site is charmingly rustic, but the facilities are sparkling clean and up-to-date. The Skyview offers 32 air-conditioned rooms, with in-room coffee, refrigerators, Cable TV with HBO and Cinemax, as well as wireless internet. A pool and a clubhouse are also available for use by guests.
The clubhouse can also be reserved for special events or meetings. The friendly staff can be contacted at 805-344-3770 or by e-mail at info@theskyviewmotel.com.

The 1880 Union Hotel
www.unionhotelvictmansion.com
The second unique getaway is the historic 1880 Union Hotel, which was originally built to accommodate people riding on the stagecoaches which stopped here. Later, it served the Pacific Coast Railway passengers. After the railroad stopped running in 1938, the hotel functioned mainly as a “bed and breakfast” facility and a location for historic reenactments and private parties, including wed-dings and mystery theater dinners, complete with period costumes for guests and actors alike.
The hotel was recently purchased by Terri and Dana Klaft, who have done extensive renovations and upgrading, while still keeping to the Victorian theme and décor. They are also continuing to run it as a Victorian Bed and Breakfast and they offer fine dining on Fridays and Saturdays. This also continues to be a wonderful place for weddings, banquets and other special events. As if this weren’t enough, there’s also a gift shop and an old time soda shop and ice cream parlor.
The hotel will be a major site for Lost Alamos Old Days on September 26-28. There will be historical reenactments and other spe-cial events, such as a cowboy gunfight. For more information go to www.lavmc.org.
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