Online content
Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Annabelle Thelma Hughes Warren Alice Edna Hughes Bowers Sister's Inn
- Abstract:
- Extent:
- .5LF, 1 box
- Language:
- Preferred citation:
-
Sister's Inn Collection. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, Special Collections and Archives
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Sister’s Inn Collection contains photographs relating to the Sister’s Inn restaurant of San Luis Obispo, California, including the restaurant owners and the owners’ family and friends. The collection also contains photographs, newspaper articles, and magazine articles featuring model and actress Annazette (Annacetta) Williams Chase as well as newspaper articles featuring Annazette and her sisters Alice Williams and Rosa Lee Williams.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Sister’s Inn restaurant was located at 208 Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo from the early 1950s to mid-1960s near what was then known as Japantown. The restaurant was owned by the Hughes sisters Annabelle Thelma Hughes Warren and Alice Edna Hughes Bowers. Sister’s Inn was one of the few African-American owned businesses in the area during this time period. Prior to opening Sister’s Inn, the sisters owned and operated Annabelle’s Café located at 190 Higuera and later at 142 Higuera circa 1950 – 1952. Annabelle Warren also owned Club Morrocco, a local tavern located at 538 Higuera Street circa 1968 – 1970. By 1971 Annabelle’s occupation in the city directory listing had changed to ‘retired’. Alice E. Bowers was formerly married and widowed from Army Private Arthur Leon Harris (b. 15 Aug. 1915 – d. 30 November 1958). Alice’s second husband, James Cassewey Bowers (b. 7 January 1914/1917 – d. 11 January 2009) was a US Merchant Marine. Annazette (Annacetta) Williams, Rosa Lee Williams, Alice Williams, and Ron Williams, descendants of the owners, attended San Luis Obispo High School. The siblings were all active and successful members of the high school drill team, drama, and other school activities. Alice Williams, the eldest sibling, was head majorette of the drill team and was later invited to audition for the Ramettes, the cheer team for the Los Angeles Rams. Rosa Lee was also head majorette, and Annazette tied for head cheerleader. After graduation, Annazette moved to Los Angeles and pursued a career in acting and modeling. She was featured in magazines as an artist, model, and actress. Annazette starred in multiple films including The Greatest, The Toy, Truck Turner, and The Mack. She also appeared in multiple television movies and series between 1964 and 1984.
- Acquisition information:
- Purchased.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open to researchers by appointment. For more information on visiting, access policies, and reproduction requests, please visit our Reference Services page online at http://lib.calpoly.edu/search-and-find/collections-and-archives/reference-services/.
- Terms of access:
-
Digital copies are provided to researchers for the purpose of study, research, and personal use only, unless otherwise specified in writing. Materials that are the property of Cal Poly Special Collections and Archives require written permission prior to publication. No complete collection may be reproduced. For print and online publication, please visit our Reproduction Services page online at http://lib.calpoly.edu/support/sca-policies/reproduction/. Special Collections and Archives reserves the right to review all reproduction requests and to withhold permission if scanning would endanger the material, would violate copyright law, or would violate institutional restrictions.
- Preferred citation:
-
Sister's Inn Collection. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, Special Collections and Archives
- Location of this collection:
-
Robert E. Kennedy Library, Rm 409San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, US
- Contact:
- (805) 756-2305