The Featherbed Railroad Main Station has been here for about 100 years. Built originally as a resort, it still serves that purpose today with its Grand Dining Hall and Gathering Place.
The first remodeling project we undertook was to the kitchen, bringing it up to modern standards and outfitting it with all stainless steel surfaces in accordance with health code and restaurant-grade practices. We then remodeled the dining room with new carpeting and even outfitted it with multimedia capabilities. Even with the multimedia meeting facilities, the most prominent feature is the lava rock fireplace which has been rebuilt and is a great place to get cozy in the winter.
We are so happy to serve breakfast made fresh daily from locally-sourced ingredients. We seek out local growers to supply as much of the meal as possible, then use these fabulous ingredients for a real, hearty breakfast. Our eggs come from free-range chickens, and our sausage is specially prepared for us by a local butcher.
Of course breakfast includes dessert, and one of the favorites are our local strawberries with a twist. We've also used local strawberries to make ice cream and for toppings on waffles. But the bottom line is, no meal is complete without dessert.
Many of our guests are experiencing their first bed and breakfast and have questions about seating in the dining room. We have an individual table for each room so you have your own private dining experience. While some bed and breakfasts have a single table for all guests, most of our guests prefer the individual two-person tables.
You will find a library of books to enjoy during your stay at the Featherbed Railroad, along with a wall of movies to play while relaxing in your caboose. There are board games as well as puzzles, too.
Main Station History
While we're still hoping to get more information, our understanding is that the former Johnson's Resort was a site where there was both tent camping and what is today referred to as "Glamping" - cottages made up of tent-like structures on a traditional foundation. The Johnsons were way ahead of their time as this is all the rage with some travelers today.
We believe the family built what is today the Main Station building with its beautiful lava rock fireplace and expansive guest dining hall. We did have one visitor who stopped by and was thrilled that the Main Station was still standing because she remembered fondly the wonderful times she had as a child at Johnson's Resort. She hadn't been here since the 1950s, so it had been a while.
If you go even further back in history, you'll run into Kit Carson and his brother Jack. Kit Carson explored the area with his brother, choosing to settle in and buy property in the area, ultimately starting a winery. While Lake County's original courthouse burned to the ground along with all the official records, it is opined that the Featherbed Railroad's property is likely to have been owned by Jack Carson which means he and his brother, Kit, wandered around and enjoyed the same trees and lake view that you can enjoy today. Of course, there were no cabooses here at the time but the trees haven't changed, other than having grown a bit.
The street directly behind the Featherbed Railroad is Carson Street, named for the famous brothers.
