Bishop in Inyo County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Whiskey Creek History

Photographed by Craig Baker, November 3, 2025

1. Whiskey Creek History Marker

Inscription. The Kittie Lee Inn was built in 1924 and was considered to be the height of luxury. During Hollywood’s heyday of filming movies in the High Sierra, almost all of the great stars stayed here at one time or another. Will Rogers, Randolph Scott, Hop-a-long Cassidy, Cary Grant, John Wayne, Bing Crosby, Curly Fletcher and Pat O’Brien are just a few of the names found in the old guest register. Many of the executives of the U.S. Vanadium Mine, a Tungsten Mine up Pine Creek, along with Wah Chang of the Blackrock Mine were also guests here.

The Ohio Buckeye tree you see planted in the deck of the front door of the gift shop at the Whiskey Creek Restaurant was brought here in 1924 from Ohio and still bears buckeyes every fall.

During World War II, the Kittie Lee dining room was closed and used as a dormitory for U.S. military pilots training at the Bishop Airport. After the war, the dining room was remodeled and reopened as the Copper Kettle Coffee Shop, which was known far and wide for its excellent food and extensive Royal Doulton Toby Jug Collection. The Kittie Lee Inn was torn down in 1965 to make way for a new dinner

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

house known as the Carriage Room. Its Bar, Charlie’s Room, remained in operation.

In 1976, Sam and Shelly Walker purchased the business from Will Whorff, son of the original owner of the Kittie Lee, and changed the name to Whiskey Creek. In 1999, the Walkers sold the business to its new owner, Greg Alexander….and a new era began.

Erected by Bishop Mural Society 2000.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1924.

Location. 37° 21.873′ N, 118° 23.689′ W. Marker is in Bishop, California, in Inyo County. It is at the intersection of Main Street (U.S. 395) and East Pine Street, on the right when traveling north on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 524 N Main St, Bishop CA 93514, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s Sierra Nevada.

It is also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds