Unearth The Voyage
Tucked along the historic Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga, California, sits a steakhouse with stories that Hollywood couldn’t script better. The Sycamore Inn has witnessed everything from Old West murders to celebrity sightings, all while serving up sizzling steaks for more than a century. Few restaurants can claim such a wild, colorful past or such staying power.
1. It Began as a Stagecoach Stop Called Mountain View House
Long before highways or fast food chains, travelers needed places to rest their horses and grab a hot meal. Back in the mid-1800s, a man named William Rubottom—nicknamed Uncle Billy, ran a wayside inn and tavern at Bear Gulch along the Santa Fe Trail. This dusty dirt road connected San Bernardino to Los Angeles, and Uncle Billy’s spot became the perfect halfway point. Pioneers, traders, and adventurers all stopped by for food, drink, and a safe place to sleep.
The inn quickly turned into a local gathering spot where news was shared and friendships were made. Uncle Billy’s hospitality made Mountain View House famous throughout the region. That same dirt path would eventually be paved and renamed Route 66, one of America’s most iconic highways. The little inn kept serving travelers through every transformation. Today’s Sycamore Inn stands on the exact same ground where Uncle Billy once welcomed dusty stagecoach riders more than 170 years ago.
2. Two Infamous 1860s Murders Became Part of the Lore
Murder mysteries aren’t just for detective novels, sometimes they’re baked right into a building’s history. In 1862, a wealthy rancher named John Rains was killed under suspicious circumstances. He had just taken control of the massive Rancho Cucamonga, and his death sent shockwaves through the community. Nobody was ever arrested for his murder. Local legend says vigilantes later plotted to kill Rains’s widow, Maria Merced, but Uncle Billy Rubottom bravely drove them away from his inn.
Two years later, in 1864, Maria’s ranch manager Ramón Carrillo was shot while riding beside her. Wounded and bleeding, Carrillo managed to reach the inn’s front steps before dying there. Both killings remain unsolved to this day, adding an eerie chapter to the property’s past. Some guests still wonder if the spirits of those violent days linger in the old building. These dark tales have become inseparable from the Sycamore Inn’s colorful, sometimes chilling, story.
3. Fire, Flood, and a Full Rebuild Set the Stage for Today’s Building
Mother Nature didn’t make things easy for this tough little roadhouse. Over the decades, fires scorched it and floods swept through, forcing owners to rebuild again and again. Each disaster could have ended the story, but someone always stepped up to bring the inn back to life. In 1920, a citrus grower named John Klusman decided to build something more permanent. He constructed the charming chalet-style structure that still stands today, complete with upstairs rooms for travelers.
Klusman designed it as a social gathering place where locals could celebrate special occasions and out-of-towners could find a warm welcome. A historical marker near the property honors its origins dating back to the 1840s stagecoach days. The current building has weathered nearly a century itself, proving that good construction and community spirit can outlast almost anything. From wooden frontier shack to elegant Alpine-inspired steakhouse, the transformation has been remarkable yet the mission remains the same: serve great food and hospitality.
4. Renamed The Sycamore Inn in 1939—and Frequented by Celebrities
Everything changed when Danish immigrant Irl Hinrichsen purchased the property in 1939. He gave the place a fresh remodel, shut down the hotel rooms upstairs, and christened it with a new name: The Sycamore Inn. Hinrichsen’s timing was perfect—Route 66 was booming with travelers heading to Palm Springs and Las Vegas. Hollywood stars regularly cruised the Mother Road, and many stopped at the Sycamore for a meal.
An autographed photo of Marilyn Monroe hangs inside, with a plaque claiming she dined there in 1959. Local stories also suggest Elizabeth Short—the tragic victim known as the Black Dahlia—visited just weeks before her infamous murder in 1947. The restaurant openly presents these celebrity connections as legend rather than proven fact, which adds to the mystique. Whether Monroe actually sat in that booth or Short really ordered a drink at the bar, the stories have become part of the Inn’s charm. Fame and mystery go hand-in-hand at this roadside landmark.
5. Still Serving Steak on Route 66—Under Longtime Local Owners
Not every historic restaurant survives into the modern age, but the Sycamore Inn keeps going strong. In 2002, a local ownership group including Linda and Chuck Keagle took over operations. They understood that you can’t just preserve history in a museum—you have to keep it alive by actually using it. The new owners refreshed the dining rooms and updated the kitchen while carefully maintaining the old-school ambiance that makes the place special.
Dark wood, vintage photos, and classic steakhouse vibes transport diners back to Route 66’s glory days. The menu focuses on what the Inn does best: perfectly cooked steaks, hearty sides, and warm hospitality. You’ll find the Sycamore Inn on Foothill Boulevard—the modern name for the old Route 66—in Rancho Cucamonga. It’s an enduring landmark that literally outlasted murders, multiple fires, floods, and even the Marilyn Monroe mystique. Stop by for dinner and you’re eating at a piece of living California history that refuses to fade away.
