Hotel craze hits Laguna Beach

In the late 1880s people were coming to the West so fast that hotels

were built regardless of locations. Some were built on land that

would flood each year.

In 1886, Henry Goff built a board-and-bat hotel at the site of the

present-day Hotel Laguna. He later moved and added another building,

the Gray Gables.

Goff sold the twin building to a man by the name of Spencer. When

Spencer was not able to pay the mortgage, he sold his interest to

Joseph Yoch for the amount of the mortgage, $600. Yoch operated the

little hotel through the 1890 depression.

In 1896, Joseph Yoch purchased the Arch Beach Hotel standing idle

at Diamond Street from Hubbard Goff. Housemover Thorp of Santa Ana

cut the hotel into three sections, moved it and joined it to the twin

building at what is now Coast Highway and Laguna Avenue. The large

combined hotel contained 30 bedrooms and two bathrooms.

About the beginning of the century, the Yoch Hotel became popular

and was patronized by society’s elite. Madame Modjeska, the famous

Polish actress, spent many days at the hotel with her husband, Count

Bozenta Clapowski. Occasionally she gave Shakespearean readings to

the guests. Another noted person that lived in the little village in

the early days was Dr. Spencer Miller, the partner of Thomas Edison.

In his later years his physician was Dr. Raymond Newton.

The old hotel remained there for many years until it was condemned

in 1928. In 1930 the present Hotel Laguna was constructed. These are

the facts that were written by the daughter of the owner -- Josephine

Yoch.

* This BIT OF HISTORY comes from “The First 100 years in Laguna

Beach 1876-1976” by Merle and Mabel Ramsey. The Coastline Pilot

thanks the Laguna Beach Historical Society for this information and

obtaining permission from the Ramsey family to publish.