Mrs. Katie E. Sleeper
Mrs. Katie E. Sleeper was the proprietor of the Fountain House, a hotel built to the west of the Murrieta Train Depot. The hotel was built to accommodate railroad travelers as an overnight and meal stop. Katie operated the hotel from 1907 until her death in 1921. She was a strong, independent woman, who raised her niece, E. Hale Sykes, as her own child. As challenges and changes arose in the Murrieta Valley, Mrs. Katie E. Sleeper was ready to serve her community and her guests.
She was born June 13, 1861 in Corinth, Orange County, Vermont. She was the daughter of George W. Hale and Emma Jane Moulton. She had an older brother, Van A. H. Hale, and a younger sister, Ethel Louise J. Hale. On July 4, 1879, Katie married George W. Chamberlin, a young medical student. Once
George received his medical degree, he set up his practice in Hanover, Grafton County, New Hampshire.
It is unknown why Katie’s first marriage dissolved. Her second husband was C. L. Sleeper, who may have died in 1889. Afterwards, Katie never remarried and never had any children of her own.
On January 5, 1881, Katie’s father died. Her mother, never remarried, but remained close to her three children. Mrs. Emma Hale moved to Nebraska in 1886 and then to Murrieta, California in 1894. Mrs. Katie Sleeper and her two siblings followed their mother to California.
Van Hale had married in 1888, but a year later his wife, Mrs. Lucida J. Hale, abandoned him and refused to live with him. Van Hale filed for divorce in 1898 and it was granted. He ran a grocery store in Murrieta for a short time. He then married Mrs. Hattie Hurd Maydole in July 1900. They had one son, George S. Hale.
Ethel L. J. Hale was a young single woman when her mother settled in Murrieta. In June 1897, she was the bridesmaid for Miss Grace Sykes who married Charles North in the Murrieta Methodist Church. Charles’ groomsman was Harvey Sykes, brother of the bride. Over a year later, on October 20, 1898 at 7 p.m., Harvey Sykes and Ethel Hale were married in Mrs. Emma Hale’s home. Harvey’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sykes were the only invited guests.
On April 11, 1900, Ethel gave birth to Emma Hale Sykes at home in Murrieta. A week later, on April 19th, Ethel contracted blood poisoning and died. She was laid to rest in the Laurel Cemetery in Murrieta. Widowed and with a week old baby girl, Harvey Sykes did not have many choices. Mrs. Emma Hale and Katie Sleeper immediately took charge of Harvey’s child as he grieved over the loss of his wife.
Meanwhile, Harvey’s father, who had been running the Fountain House for a number of years, had decided to retire. His twelve children had grown up and had families of their own, many of whom had moved to Santa Cruz County, California. Henry began searching for someone to rent and operate the hotel. In 1907, the announcement was made that the Fountain House had a new landlady.
“Our new landlady, Mrs. Sleeper, with her mother, Mrs. Hale, has arrived from Ocean Beach and will before long assume the management of the Fountain House, which has so long been run by Mr. Sykes’ family. These ladies are both well known in Murrieta, having lived here a number of years ago. We extend a hearty welcome to them, while we do regret the removal of Mrs. Sykes and family from our midst.” (February 21, 1907, Riverside Independent Enterprise)
In August, Katie took her niece and nephew on a vacation to San Diego before the new school year began. Her brother ran the hotel during her absence. Van Hale had also been hired to repair and repaint the Murrieta schoolhouse. By October, Van Hale leased a ranch and moved to Elsinore. E. Hale Sykes’ father, Harvey, had remarried and settled in Olive, California.
E. Hale Sykes passed her eighth grade examination in June 1915. Then in August, Katie took her niece and nephew on their annual vacation to San Diego. During her absence, Mrs. Miller had charge of the
Fountain House.
On April 6, 1917, America declared war on Germany. Forty-two Murrieta men registered for the draft, and soon the town was a hive of activity. In May 1917, the Riverside County Chamber of Commerce held its monthly meeting in Murrieta to discuss county business and the possible labor shortage as America prepared for war. Delegates toured the Murrieta farming community and the Murrieta Hot Springs Resort. In the evening, they held their meeting and dinner at the Fountain House.
“A splendid chicken dinner, served by Mrs. Kate Sleeper, capable manager of “The Fountain House,” was appreciated by appetites sharpened by the long drive. The hotel dining room was filled to capacity,
and a “second table” had to be set for a number who could not be seated at first. The tables were prettily decorated with roses.” (May 23, 1917, Riverside Daily Press)
Mrs. Katie Sleeper was always willing to help her family. By December 1917, Van Hale and his family had moved back to Murrieta and lived at the Fountain House. They stayed for several months before they
found another house to rent.
A few months later, on April 21, 1918, an estimated 6.8 earthquake struck the region. “The earthquake did quite a bit of damage at Murrieta yesterday afternoon, the Fountain House suffering the most
from falling plaster and cracked chimneys. Stock in the stores was thrown from the selves, but
the buildings escaped with slight or no damage whatever.” (April 22, 1918, Riverside Daily Press)
On November 11, 1918, the Armistice was signed and the Great War had come to an end. Murrieta’s doughboys began to return to their homes. The newly completed grain elevator, built just north of the Fountain House, greeted the young men as they arrived at the train depot.
In August 1920, Mrs. Katie Sleeper and E. Hale Sykes traveled to Santa Cruz, California to attend Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sykes’ 50th wedding anniversary. The Sykes family had twelve children, thirty grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. This was a large family reunion and celebration.
Fire once again threatened the Fountain House in January 1921. “The Saturday night fire started in a barn owned by George Lambert. It leaped to the stable and out buildings of the hotel owned by Mrs. Sleeper and threatened to destroy the hotel. Bucket brigades were quickly formed and passed water
to the top of the hotel, the roof of which was three times ablaze, but the heroic work of the bucket
brigade saved the buildings.
While the men were fighting the fire with buckets, big trucks were brought into action and like an army tank they attacked the outbuildings, including the windmill pump and water tank, and razed them to the
ground. This work checked the fire in its path of destruction."
E. Hales Sykes turned 21 in April that year and in June she received a new Ford roadster. In October, Katie Sleeper’s health began to decline. On November 13, 1921, Katie Sleeper died at the age of 60. She was laid to rest in the Laurel Cemetery near her mother and sister. She left her estate including the
Fountain House to her niece.
Mrs. Katie Sleeper left a lasting legacy in her niece, E. Hale Sykes. She had taught her the strength of being an independent hardworking woman in a competitive and challenging world. Katie was a beloved proprietor and hostess to countless residents and travelers who had stayed at the Fountain
House. Her dedication to her family and her contribution to the town of Murrieta should always be remembered for generations to come.
President's Message
Happy New Year! For our freshman year we laid the groundwork for the historical society. Now as we enter our sophomore year, it is time to hit the ground running! As a member of the historical society,
what do you want us to accomplish this year? Please let us know because this society represents all our ideas, not the dreams of a chosen few.
This year we hope to take part in more city events so that we can demonstrate that our local history is important. To do this, we need volunteers who will help us plan ahead so that we can make a positive impact in our community. If you would like to participate, please let us know. We would love for you to
help.
Our big vision for the year is a temporary museum. There have been several proposals made, but we need more volunteers to make the dream a reality. We need a place where local school children can learn about their city’s rich and diverse history. We need a place where we can gather local treasures, artifacts, and oral stories in a safe and secure location. If you have any ideas, please share them with us.
Finally, if you would like to join us on the Board in order to share in the goals and objectives of our society, please let us know. The monthly Board meeting is open to any members who are looking
for ways to be involved.
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