Western Hotel (Sacramento, California)
Western Hotel, was a historical hotel in Sacramento, California. The site of the former hotel is a California Historical Landmark No. 601 listed on May 22, 1957. The Western Hotel was at near the intersection of 2nd street and K Street, Sacramento and owned by William Land. The site is now a Parking lot under the Interstate 5 in California.[1]
| Western Hotel | |
|---|---|
 Western Hotel built in 1875 | |
| Location | 215 K Street Sacramento, California |
| Coordinates | 38.582°N 121.503°W |
| Built | 1875 |
| Designated | May 22, 1957 |
| Reference no. | 601 |
  Location of Western Hotel in California  Western Hotel (Sacramento, California) (the United States) | |
The site has had two hotels built at the location: A 1853 Hotel and later the second Western Hotel was built on the site in 1875 by William Land. The 1875 Hotel was one of the largest and grand hotels is the western states at the time of completion. The 1854 Hotel supported the California Gold Rush Pioneers, it was built two blocks from the Sacramento waterfront and Central Pacific Railroad station. The 1875 building was removed when the Interstate 5 was built though the town in the 1960s. The original Sacramento Bee Building, California Historical Landmark No. 611 was also taken down at the same time.[1]
1854 Western Hotel
The 1854 Western Hotel was owned by N.D. Thayer and sold to William Land in 1871. The 1854 three-story wood Western Hotel burnt to the ground on January 9, 1875. A fire started at 2:30 pm in the lamp room and quickly spread out, claiming three guest lives out of the six guests in the hotel. The lamp room was used to refill the hotel's oil lamps. The fire department stopped the fire before other buildings caught fire. William Land had purchased the 1854 Western Hotel in 1871.[2]
1875 Western Hotel
William Land had a new Western Hotel constructed on the spot. Work started in February 1875 and was completed July 1875. The new Western Hotel was larger with 350 quest rooms. The new hotel was make of brick and three-story tall. The new hotel was $200,000 to build. The 100 feet wide at the street and was 160 feet deep into the block. The 1875 Western Hotel was demolished during the Interstate 5 development in the 1960s.[2][3][4]
William Land
William Land was born in 1836 in Herkimer, New York. With 14 children, Land's father sold William Land $50 per year into indentured servitude. After William Land saved up and was able buy is freedom he went to Iron City Commercial College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Broke, Land came to California looking for opportunity in San Francisco in 1860. From San Francisco Land walked to the Western Hotel in Sacramento and rented 50 cents room. At the Western Hotel he got a job cleaning job and as a bell boy. After 11 years working at the hotel, Land saved and was able to buy the hotel from it owner, N.D. Thayer. To increase business Land took out adds to promote his 207-room Western Hotel and restaurant.
With his profits Land was able to buy lots next to the Western Hotel. Some of the lots were used to expand the Western Hotel. With his acquired wealth he purchased the State House Hotel in 1892. State House Hotel was at the corner of 10th Street and K street. He had the State House Hotel taken down in 1909 and built a new five-story Hotel, The Land Hotel opened in 1910 on the site. The 300 guest room Hotel Land stood till is was demolition in 1961.[5][6][7]
William Land was the mayor of Sacramento from 1898 to 1899. A wealthiest man in Sacramento, while mayor is gave the city a $80,000 interest-free loan, rather than the city have to pay for high interest rates loans on city bonds. William Land died in 1911, at age 74-year. After his death in 1911, his will and testament he gave way $450,000. Of this $250,000 was to be used for a Sacramento public park. Then $200,000 to the City of Sacramento to the income of which is to be used for the care of the indigent poor. Giving: $10,000 to the Sacramento Orphanage received, and $5,000 each to Catholic Convent, YMCA, and YWCA. Of the $250,000 the city received, the city purchased 238 acres of land for a park in 1918, in what was called Sutterville. The 238 acres of land is now the William Land Regional Park, Land Park Playground, and William Land Golf Course. The William Land Park is boarded by Sutterville Road to the South, Freeport Blvd to the East, 13th Ave to the North, about Land Park Drive to the west. The Sacramento Zoo is adjacent to the park.[8]
References
- "Western Hotel #601". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
- Western Hotel, California State Library.
- "Western Hotel, Sacramento, Cal". September 17, 1900 – via Calisphere.
- "William Land: A Heart for Hospitality | Sacramento Boomer". www.sacboomer.com.
- "Hotel Land, Sacramento, Cal. - Souvenir Publishing Co". September 17, 1912 – via Calisphere.
- "Land Hotel". April 9, 1961 – via Calisphere.
- "Land Hotel". September 17, 1961 – via Calisphere.
- Golf, Morton (August 21, 2015). "William Land Golf Course Celebrates 90 Year Anniversary". Haggin Oaks.