I am a decorator at heart and a retired decorator by profession. It is with great pleasure that I continue finding ways to make your stay more comfortable. I live at Casa Panama part time with my sister Teri.

We rent Casa Panama in various combinations of accommodations at certain times of the year. Every day we spend at Casa Panama is like a little heaven on earth and I hope you find the same true for you!

I am originally from San Diego daughter of a well-known fashion professional of the same name and a Dutch father, a cabinet maker who built not only all the furniture but also designed and built our home on a ranch in the country. All of the famous designers visited the ranch for sophisticated parties and events while on the flip side my sister and brother and I might have been out picking oranges, tending the animals or riding our horses.

I have always loved the ocean and have fond childhood memories of daddy taking us out in the San Diego Bay for fishing trips on his cabin cruiser. I have lived on or near the sea for the past 40 years with a memorable stint in the Caribbean for 12 of those years. When I moved to the Northern California area, I just fell in love with Jenner at first sight. The people and the place just resonates a vibe you will never forget.

The history of the Jenner area is best told by our local historian Elinor Twohy. For my part I know that the sister of Josephine Santos Wright married and built what is now Casa Panama with her husband in 1950.

History of the Jenner Area by Elinor Twohy

We know that Pomo Indians had been living here for 3,000 years; however archaeologists have recently uncovered significant evidence in the middle of Duncan's Landing which may prove that Pomos were here for 10,000 years.

'Pomo' is an overall name covering six language groups and several different tribes. The local tribe, know as the Del Rio Indians, was friendly with their neighbors from around Bodega Bay, the Miwoks. From a study of the middens, we believe that they had ceremonial gatherings at Duncan's Landing.

In the 1920's the two Penny brothers owned & lived on the twenty-nine acre island that is in the middle of the river, directly in front of the town of Jenner. One brother was drowned in an accident at sea. When the other brother became ill, he wished to live the rest of his life on the island & to be buried there.

Joe Santos had come from Guam, married a local Pomo woman, built a house near the river mouth on Goat Rock Beach, & started a family. Joe agreed to carry out Penny's wishes, & in return the island was deeded to him. Joe then built a house on the island, where the Santos family grew fruits & vegetables, raised dairy cattle, & sold their produce to townsfolk of Jenner and Monte Rio. The Santos family lived on Penny Island until 1948.

One daughter, Josephine Santos Wright, born in 1904 in the original house on Goat Rock beach, still resides in Jenner & provides us with authentic historical information.

In 1975 the island was finally acquired by the State of California Department of Parks & Recreation. It has become a sanctuary for animals and birds; recent sightings include foxes, a bob cat, a mink, great horned & barn owls, & both white & brown pelicans.

I fell in love with this property at first sight. The moment I walked in the view just took my breath away. I bought the house from the original owners who were directly related to the areas Native American band of Pomo Indians. The house was hand crafted in 1950 of regional old growth redwoods. The property was carefully selected to get the best of the sun all year around and the best view Jenner had to offer and of Penny Island family home.

Now days we are in the heart of an eco system surrounded by thousands of acres of open space, state parks, beaches, red wood forests, coastal prairies, hiking trails, biking routes and water trails yet only 30 minutes from Santa Rosa and an hour and a half to San Francisco.

If you do plan to drive to San Francisco do it at a more leisurely pace through Bodega Bay or Occidental, Freestone, Tomales, Point Reyes, Fairfax and San Anselmo. Enjoy our little towns, vistas, fresh air and coastal views. Relax and stay awhile!