ILWACO – The new owners of the former Inn at Ilwaco, Mike and Jeanie Christiansen, hosted Ilwaco’s port and city officials last week for a tour of the bed and breakfast they purchased last month.

Re-named the Bell Tower Inn, the Christiansens transported about a dozen people to the facility in a Lincoln stretch limo from the Canoe Room at the port with driver Victor Vaughn doing the honors.

The couple have completely painted the interior of the inn, restored the electrical system and rescued the old brass churchbell which had been boarded up since the 1970s.

“Weddings will be our primary focus,” Mike Christiansen said. “The entire building will be available,” including the eight guest rooms, each with its own bathroom. The “lovers’ suite” will feature a hot tub.

Rebecca Fontana of the Canoe Room will be doing all the catering. Wedding coordinator is Lorelei Barks, who planned weddings at a church in Tacoma for 11 years.

The Christiansens, who own Blue Sun Investments in the Puyallup area, completely gutted the basement of the old church building, creating a banquet facility that can seat 80 people. They will be bringing valued customers of the energy design group to the inn as a thank-you, Mike Christiansen said. The limo service will bring people to Ilwaco but, he said, “We want people to walk around the town. We want to help the community.”

After a dinner catered by Fontana last week, attendees, starting with Ilwaco Mayor Ed Leonard, got to ring the old church bell – the first time the bell has sounded since the late 1930s, the Christiansens said.

“I’ll bet the 9-1-1 switchboard just lit up,” Leonard said as the bell sounded across the town. Anyone who is married at the inn or honeymooning will ring the bell, “to let people in the community know,” Christiansen said.

An open house for community members will be scheduled later.