TAHLEQUAH —

One benefit of retirement can be choosing a second dream career, something you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t during your working years. For Cordelia and Peter Dixon, the dream was to own a historic bed and breakfast.

The couple relocated to Tahlequah, where his mother was already living at Go Ye Village. Her parents have moved here, too. The Dixons owned a “cute guest house” alongside their home in California, and they enjoyed it so much they thought a bed and breakfast in a historic community would be the perfect retirement plan.

They just didn’t realize how challenging that plan might be.

They met with Julie Shannon, the city’s director of planning and development, and she explained the process, which includes attending two Planning and Zoning Board meetings and two Tahlequah City Council meetings.

“You have to have a huge desire to do this, plus a big budget,” Cordelia said. “We have so many plans to restore this home to be just beautiful. Right now, it’s kind of an eyesore. But we can see the gem it will be.”

After searching for more than a year, with real estate agents and neighbors telling them what places wouldn’t work – like the Hinds home near Northeastern State University – they chose a house on Garner Avenue with 175 years of history. It had belonged to the Rufus Ross family until the Dixons purchased it. The round structure behind it was originally built as a smokehouse by the Mormons, Cordelia said.

Dr. Charles Carroll, chairman of the Planning and Zoning Board, serves in that capacity to give back to the community. Over the years, he’s become familiar with the process.

“Each case is different, depending on the future of the area, what may happen to the demographics of the area,” Carroll said. “Mostly what we have are original surveys where the plat is a few inches off, and the people are asking for a 4-inch variance or lot splits.”

Whatever the board’s recommendation, the city council can override the decision. The Dixons don’t want to rezone from R1 to R2, but they’re seeking a special-use variance reserved for a bed and breakfast, Carroll said.

“There are no other changes to the neighborhood, no special use, no products being sold out of the home,” Carroll said.

For example, if piano lessons were given in the home, that would require a different variance.

“They’ve invested quite a bit of money to get this process where it is,” Carroll said. “It’s $500 to apply [for the variance].”

Since November, the Dixons have attended two council meetings and four planning and zoning meetings. They were told to do a field study, meeting neighbors within 300 feet of the property and asking for their blessing on the project.

“Most of them were receptive [because] we were fixing up the place, so we moved forward with our plans,” Cordelia said.

Some neighbors were concerned that property values would be lowered, while others acknowledged they could actually improve. The Dixons are spending a considerable amount to improve the property and make it appealing. Plans include gardens, a brick walkway, soft wood flooring and sandstone on the outside walls.

“We like the fact it has interesting architecture and it will be easy to add on to,” Cordelia said. “And we’re big promoters of the Cherokee scene here.”

At least three neighbors are supportive, Cordelia said.

“Once people talk to us, they usually settle down,” Peter added.

Other concerns were traffic through the neighborhood and the type of people staying at the bed and breakfast.

“We have an acre for parking, and we own property all the way to Stick Ross,” she said, “so we’re putting an entrance back to Stick Ross.”

Preserving history is a passion for the Dixons, along with hospitality.

“We’re going to have a quiet, family-oriented place,” he said. “Professionals go to bed and breakfasts, pastors and their wives. We have some missionaries who will be staying with us this summer. People who don’t want to be in a Motel 6.”

Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce Director David Moore said from the Chamber’s perspective, a bed and breakfast offers tourists another option.

“Some tourists seek only a bed and breakfast,” Moore said. “Towns like Guthrie that are rich in history have bed and breakfasts all through the community.”

Last fall, he stayed at a bed and breakfast in Guthrie.

“It was a very nice experience. I got to visit with the owner and hear the history of the home, neighborhood and community,” Moore said. “That motivated me to go out the next morning to look at the historical part of the community.”

Carroll admits to being a fan of bed and breakfasts. He stays at them when traveling, including in Denver at one of the top 10 in the nation, a three-story house with feather beds.

“I feel like people who stay in a B and B are principally the retired people searching more for an educational experience,” Carroll said. “The old Rufus Ross place has a landmark round potato or smokehouse made of the same type of brick as the [Cherokee] Male Seminary.”

The warm reception they’ve received since moving to the area has reinforced the Dixons’ commitment to the project.

“I love Tahlequah,” she said. “We feel we’ve been called here to do this ministry of hospitality, inviting people in and serving them delicious, nutritious meals.”

Because they had a rental property, and they sold and bought another one, the Dixons have a tax exchange that gives them a window of time to get their bed and breakfast up and running before they have to pay taxes.

Another window involves Peter’s bone cancer. They’d like to get settled in to enjoy their venture together as long as possible. At 57, Cordelia considers she has about 20 years herself if her health holds out.

If the city council turns down their request, the Dixons may have to rent the property to college students.

“People buy well-worn property and rent to college kids. They are our last option,” he said.

Older properties require a great deal of refurbishment. So far, it’s taken the Dixons three plumbers to get the toilets to flush, and they still don’t work correctly. Also, a bed and breakfast requires a commercial grade kitchen to serve more than a continental breakfast. The vent hood over the stove costs $840.

“In some ways, we’re still at square one; on the other hand, I believe the Planning and Zoning board will make a recommendation this time,” Peter said. “We want to do everything openly and above board.”