In 1869 Frederick A.Hihn began to have his resort Camp Capitola built, it was opened in 1874 and contained a large hotel, cottages and bath houses. When he died in 1913 his property was sold to H.Allen Rispin an oil tycoon. He had Rispin Mansion built overlooking Capitola in 1922. Rispin was forced into bankruptcy and had to sell Capitola and the mansion in 1928, it was brought by Benjamin Hayes Smith. In 1941 the mansion was brought by The Sisters of Poor Clare to be used as St Joseph Monastery. They left the property in 1959 and for many years it remained empty and unused. The City of Capitola purchased the property in 1986, intending to make some public use of it. but in 1996 it agreed along side with the Rispin Partners to restore the mansion and grounds and open it as a small hotel, whilst allowing the city to remain owners and to folow some historical restrictions. It was again sold to the City of Capitola Redevelopment Agency in 2004 partly to help with the finances and in 2005 a lease development agreement was set out with the Rispin Partners. The project is ongoing.

The mansion is said to be haunted by at least 4 ghosts a Victorian lady who is mainly seen upstairs, a man wearing glasses normally standing in the empty fireplaces, a man who lies injured in the basement and he is sometimes heard shouting for help, he fell through the rotted floorboards and died before help arrived and a angry dog.