The Lara House Bed and Breakfast then and now.
The Lara House was built in 1910 by J.W.Dimick for Arthur M. Lara and Mable E. Lara. It was the first home built in what is now known as the Drake Historic District in Bend. The Lara’s did a lot of entertaining during the time they owned the home as well as being very active in civic affairs. The home was offered up to host many of the prominent social events of the day held in Bend. In addition to their home the Lara’s owned and operated the Mercantile as well as the Farm Equipment Store in town.
The Lara’s sold the home in 1919. During the next few years it became a girl’s dorm and then a boarding house during the Depression. During World War II, the home housed mostly families of army personal who were stationed at Camp Abbot south of Bend where Sunriver is today. Then in 1983 the home first became a Bed and Breakfast and it has been one ever since.
Today, for its guests the home offers six bedrooms each with its own private bath. The rooms are named after local historical landmarks or scenic areas that include the Bachelor, Drake, Deschutes, Shevlin, Cascade and the Summit rooms. The home is currently owned by Brian and Sandra Griffin. Their vision for the Bed and Breakfast is to maintain and preserve the historic nature of the home while at the same time offering a unique and luxury lodging experience to their guests. The Lara House overlooks Drake Park and the Deschutes River and is just two blocks from Downtown Bend’s shops and restaurants. For more information explore our website at www.larahouse.com.
