By Bill Pumford, Image from the ROWHS Collection

TITLE: RIM O’ THE WORLD TAVERN – CRESTLINE: This week’s image displays one of the most unique buildings built by Charles S. Mann in the Crestline area which housed, among other things, the Rim O’ The World Tavern. In the early 1930s the building had hotel rooms for rent, offices for leasing, and the tavern. The tavern, including lounge, restaurant, and dance floor, was leased to various proprietors during this time. In 1934 Charles and Lois Vanier leased the inn and tavern from Charles Mann and advertised single rooms for a dollar a night. Thanksgiving dinner in 1934 could be purchased for $1.25 and featured ‘fruit cocktail en sherry,’ onion soup, roasted turkey, salad, rolls, choice of Riesling or Chablis wine, and choice of pumpkin pie or fruitcake with brandy sauce. After a couple of lean years for the tavern and hotel Charles Mann sold the building to Leonard (Lennie) Holmgren for $25,000 in May of 1937. The building at this time included the four offices, eighteen hotel rooms, restaurant, tavern, and garage. Lennie Holmgren wasted no time in redecorating rooms and advertising in several newspapers down the hill. The official re-opening of the Rim O’ The World Tavern took place on May 28^th, 1937. A couple of months later Lennie completed the construction of the Sportsmen’s Room which became a popular new addition to the tavern complex. At the end of June, the tavern received approval to conduct dances and it was not long before Pierre and his orchestra were entertaining patrons as they danced into the night. The Tavern became a popular gathering place for organizations and civic groups. Tragically in October of 1938 Lennie Holmgren died of an apparent heart attack. The Rim O’ The World Tavern continued to operate into the 1940s although under the ownership of Mickey Jones but burned down in 1947. Linder’s Tires on Crest Forest now occupies the spot once dominated by the Rim O’ The World Tavern.