Enter a name, company, place or keywords to search across this item. Then click "Search" (or hit Enter).
Go to the Archive Home
Go to Thumbnail View of this Item
Go to Single Page View of this Item
Download the Page Image
Copy the Page Text to the Clipboard
Don't highlight the search terms on the Image
Show the Page Image
Show the Image Page Text
Reset View and Center Image
Zoom Out
Zoom In
Rotate Left
Rotate Right
Toggle Full Page View
Flip Image Horizontally
More Information About this Image
Get a Citation for Page or Image - Copy to the Clipboard
Go to the Previous Page (or Left Arrow key)
Go to the Next Page (or Right Arrow key)
Page: of 68
THE NATIONAL HOTEL AND ANNEX
The National Hotel, located on Broad Street, Nevada
City was built in 1856 and was known at that time as the
National Exchange Hotel. It is the oldest, continuously
operating hotel west of the Rockies.
As previously noted, the Rector Brothers, beginning
July 1, 1886 leased the hotel for a period of five years
and then purchased it in 1891.
At the time they assumed control of the hotel, it
was in a rather dilapidated condition, and its patronage
was small. The brothers soon increased the accommodations by the construction of an addition and an annex
and changed the name to the National Hotel and Annex.
The Rectors infused into its conduct the business enterprise and good judgment for which
they have ever been notable, and today, this
hotel is conceded to be the best in the state,
north of San Francisco. (1)
It contained over one hundred nicely furnished
bedrooms, a large lobby and beautifully appointed upstairs parlor, a spacious bar and a large, second floor
dining room that was famous throughout northern California for its gourmet meals and splendid service. In
addition to the above, the hotel contained a telegraph
office, the Nevada City post office, a store, the Nevada
City branch of the Nevada County Bank and the Wells
Fargo and Company stage office — all located within the
main hotel building. All stages for the mountain community departed and arrived from the National Hotel
and Annex and there was a reliable bus service between
the hotel and the Nevada Co. Narrow Guage R.R. depot.
A considerable segment of the mining community
made their homes in the comfortable hotel suites, and a
great deal of the social life of the town centered around.