Former Hotel Clark

Historic Stockton Hotels

Stockton Hotels of Yesterday

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In 1910, the elegant Hotel Stockton was erected at the head of the Stockton Channel between North El Dorado and North Hunter on Bridge Street, and became famous for its views of Mount Diablo.8 Dozens of other hotel buildings, both grand and modest, were completed around this time, catering to an influx of travelers brought by the railroad, and changing the face of downtown Stockton. Much of the labor on farms was provided by migrant workers, who needed inexpensive temporary housing.

This demand contributed to the prevalence of one of the downtown area's most common building types: a two- to three-story residential hotel with commercial space on the ground floor. These masonry buildings usually have some Classical revival detailing, and supported an often transient population in the once thriving agricultural and transportation hub of the Central Valley. Many of these buildings remain today. A comparison of the 1895 and 1917 Sanborn Maps reveals that many homes in central Stockton were converted to hotels and temporary residences.

Many Hotels used "Hotel" first in their name - They are listed here with "Hotel" last for ease of finding the hotel. The earliest hotel building was constructed in Stockton, at the comer of Bridge and Channel and dates from the 1860s. Several additional hotels were constructed in the 1880s and 1890s, meeting an increased demand for temporary housing created by the arrival of railroad service.

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Sunset Hotel - 25 W Main St

Sutter Hotel - See Hotel Earle
Taft Hotel - 124 S. Center

Hotel Terry - 533-545 E. Main St. Ê- Now known as the Brown-Mahin and Hotel Terry Building. Built in 1912, the building was originally called the Hotel Rex. The hotel housed permanent and transient guests. It acquired its current name, Hate/Terry, between 1920 and 1925. The ground floor was originally used by the Katten Brothers Dry Goods in 1929. Other ground floor businesses over the years have included Goccino's Grocery, Katten Marengo Inc. Department Store, Hansen & Zinck Drugs, Kasper & Wilson Co., Jewelers, and Fashion Plate ShoesÊ

Togo Hotel - E. Lafayette

Torino Hotel - 202 W. Main - Ron Chapman photo

Toyo Hotel - 16 East Market Street

Travelers Hotel - 322 East Market Street - Photo by Floyd Perry Jr

103 S. Center - U.S. Hotel - Turn of the century - Left Photo courtesy of Ron Chapman

Ventura Hotel - 701 East Main at Stanislaus - The First floor occupied by Cedar's Fountain. This building is present on the 1895, 1917, and 1950 Stockton Sanborn Maps. By 1950, the map shows that an original projecting bay at the corner had been removed. The building has addresses on East Main and at 2-10 North Stanislaus. The Stockton City Directory of 1912 lists Rudolph Gnekow on the Stanislaus side. By 1920, Emilie Gnekow, likely his widow, was listed here. By 1925, the building was listed as the Ventura Rooms, and remained so through 1935. By 1930, the Busy Bee Market occupied a ground floor space, but its space was vacant by 1935. By 1940, individual residents were listed instead of the Ventura Rooms, and the Singer Sewing Machine Co. was listed in one other commercial spaces. By 1945, a billiards hall and cleaners were located here. The 1950 City Directory shows that the billiard hall was replaced by the Richmain Fountain Lunch. It later became Cedar's Fountain

Vizelich Hotel - Market & Sacramento - Late 1800s - Early 1900s

Wakefield Hotel - (See the Land Hotel) - 10 North California Street - See Land Hotel

Walsh Apartments - Hunter's Cremery and Bakery, 33 N. Aurora - 1930 City Directory - Also 844-848 E. Weber address">

Wayne Hotel 234 East Market Street

Weber Hotel - 7 South Center Street - Main & CenteOcc tel (center) and Weber House (foreground), ca. 1875

Winefred Hotel - 640-648 East Market Street - Demolished"

Windsor Hotel - 209 East Weber - 1923 - The prominent building on the left is the Windsor Hotel. Photo taken in 1929. Originally built as The Mansion House - Hunter and Weber - Right photo, 1930 - It had a comer bay, an ornamented bell cap with cresting, a roof balustrade, and ornamental hoods over the windows. In 1947 the building was extensively altered and expanded to its present configuration. This new facade covers two distinct buildings, as the owners bought the building to the east and incorporated the two into one. This remodel irreversibly impaired the historic integrity of this building. The Mansion House has been significantly altered and does not individually meet the criteria of the· National pr California Registers. / Windsor Apartments"

White Hotel - S. Center Street - Demolished for crosstown freeway

Wilson Hotel - C. Besinga, Frisbie & Latta, Hotel Wilson 37 North Commerce - 1928

Wolf Hotel - 409 E. Market St - Opened in 1912, It had a beautiful Roof Garden for dining and was considered Stockton's finest hotel. It later became a senior citizen's hotel - Demolished - Replaced with the American Savings Building

Wool Growers Hotel - 325 South Hunter (right, 1930s) - Building still stands (left), although stuccoed over

Yamamoto Hotel - E. Lafayette

Yosemite House - 337 East Main Street - 1891 It was thought to be Stockton's finest hotel before 1900. It had several horse drawn ommni buses to take guests to and from the railroad depot. Built in 1869 for $40,000 with 200 rooms. The dining room seated 110 people. it later became a rooming house and burned down in the early 20s"

Yosemite Hotel - 121 East Market Street

Arthur W. Cowell

He came to California with his family when sixteen years of age and took up the trade of brick mason with his father; and within four years he was able to start in business for himself. An energetic brick and concrete contractor, had a record of erecting one business block each month for a year.

Here is a partial list of the buildings he erected after 1900:

The Clark Hotel,
The Main High school building,
The Elks building,
The San Joaquin Valley Bank (later the Bank of Italy) on Hunter Street,
The Y. M. C. A. building,
The Stockton Savings & Loan Bank,
The Wilhoit building,
The Lincoln Hotel,

The Henry Apartments,

The Home Apartments, and Hotel Philson.

He also remodeled the Commercial Hotel and built the Smith & Lang building on South San Joaquin Street, the Salvation Army Hotel, and the Oullahan & Littlehale block on Weber Avenue. Then there is the Belding block, Hotel Marion, the Sanguinetti block on Market Street, the Solari block, Steed Brothers’ Garage, the Flannigan block, the Turner block, the Russell block on California Street, the Stockton Ice & Fuel Building, the Ruhl building, and the Gnekow block.

He erected the entire block of brick buildings on the south side of Main Street between Stanislaus and American Avenue, which includes the five-story Bronx Hotel, and also the Crane block of buildings on South San Joaquin Street, which includes the Hotel Dale; as well as the Presbyterian Church at the corner of El Dorado & Vine, and the five-story Levy Building at the corner of Main and Hunter.

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Stockton Historic Motels

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Historic San Joaquin Hotels, Motels, Lodging . Historic San Joaquin Hotels, Motels, Lodging

Alex Hotel - 25 E. Washington - Demolished

Ambassador Hotel - Channel & Sutter Streets One of the latest Court Group projects. Senator Bobby Kennedy once spoke at this location as a presidential candidate Building still stands. / Royal Eight Inn Motel (1976) - Second to Left photo, Ron Chapman - 1974 Ambassador Hotel - Channel & Sutter Streets

Angels Hotel - E. Market St

Antler Hotel - 528 East Main Street - Floyd Perry Jr. photo

Argonaut Hotel - 229 East Weber Avenue - Building stands today

Arlington Hotel - 24-26-32 S. Sutter - Looking North from Market Street - 20s

Bailey Hotel - See Steve's Hotel


Baltimore Hotel - 124 East Market Street - Demolished


Belmont Hotel - 206 S. San Joaquin - Demolished

The Boston Rooms - Hunter & Weber - Demolished

Bradford Hotel - 233 East Weber Avenue - Once the Hammond & Yardley Grocery Store, by 1930 it was Skaggs Safeway Store, then State Savings, and the Stockton Realty Board. The Building still stands today

Bronx Hotel - 640 E. Main Now Almond View Apartments - Built in 1912 - By 1912, Stockton City Directories list this building as the Hotel Bronx. By 1930, the Golden Rule Food Store occupied a ground floor retail space. By 1945, City Directories listed the grocery as W. G. Walton's. The Hotel Bronx continued service into the 1950s. The building has recently been remodeled, but only the first floor shows any significant change since the structure was last surveyed in the 1970s. Second photo courtesy of Ron Chapman - 1964. The Building still stands." Bronx Hotel - 640 E. Main - Now Almond View Apartments - Built in 1912


Former Nippon Hospital - 25 S. Commerce - Classical Revival style with gable crowns, colored brick, and classic Greek architecture, the two-story, 4,864-square-foot building was constructed in 1919 in response to the inadequate care that Japanese people received during an influenza outbreak the previous year. Historic Landmark. Bryant Hotel until 1978 - Former Nippon Hospital

California Hotel - 403 S. San Joaquin - Alustiza's California Hotel Buffet - Photo by Floyd Perry Jr. - Still standing, but closed

Cavor Hotel - 306 S. Union - The building stands today">Cavor Hotel - 306 S. Union - The building stands today

Central Hotel - 124 West Main Street - Photo courtesy of Ron Chapman

City Hotel - 316 East Market Street - Photo of 00 Blk of S. Eldorado. Left photo by Floyd Perry Jr. Far right Photo courtesy of Ron Chapman - Demolished

Clark Hotel

Clark Hotel - 114 S. Sutter Built in 1911 - it was later converted to inexpensive living quarters for senior citizens. The Clark burned beyond repair in 1984 and was demolished

Claremont Apartments - 247 South California - 1920s

Collins Hotel - See Lincoln Hotel

Coma Hotel 47 S. Center - in the 1960 Polk Directory

Commerce & Main - Columbo Hotel - Colombo Hotel Commerce & Main, Far right, 228 S. Center Street

Columbia House, Channel & San Joaquin. Originally named the Golden Lion Hotel, the lumber was brought around Cape Horn in 1850. The hotel had thirty nine rooms.

Commercial Hotel 1891

Commercial Hotel - 431 E. Main St - Once Called McAlister Hotel. The building still stands

Cornelia Hotel - Replaced by the Medico Dental building

Cornethian Building

Cosmos Hotel - 343 S. San Joaquin / Former Basconia Hotel Lodgings The building still stands today">Cosmos Hotel - 343 S. San Joaquin / Former Basconia Hotel Lodgings - The building still stands today

Costa Hotel - West Market St

Sheriff Cunningham was once a resident - Thomas Cunningham, 1838-1900 - Born in Ireland he came to California and Stockton via Panama in 1855. As a harness maker by trade, he worked for several different places before opening his own store in 1860. He was elected to the City Council in 1865 and 1870. He was elected County Sheriff in 1871 and held that position until his death in 1900. The way he handled the army of unemployed in 1894 was an outstanding maneuver. He was the best known sheriff in the state. As sheriff he was known as "a person of great firmness of character, incapable of fear, and was neither friend nor foe in the discharge of his official duties, who opposed no one, although he never failed to execute all legal processes duly placed in his hands as sheriff. - Photo Courtesy of Kevin Shawver"> Cunningham Hotel - 620 E. Market St. - Demolished

D'italia hotel- E. Lafayette

Dale Hotel - see Fair Hotel

Delta Hotel - 230-248 East Miner Located at the southwest comer of North San Joaquin Street and East Miner Avenue, constructed in1919, on the former course of the Miner Slough. In 1924 the owners, A. Firpo and E. Bozzini, applied for a building permit to remodel the original building. They contracted Lewis and Green to remodel the building for an estimated construction cost of $25,000. The building appears on the 1950 Sanborn map. By 1930, the Delta Hotel had opened in the remodeled building. The building stands today Delta Hotel - 230-248 East Miner

Diamond Hotel - West Market Street

Eagle Hotel - 106 East Main Street. - Another tavern to bid for the patronage of that day was the Eagle Hotel, a two-story adobe building covered with mission tiles, situated "on Main Street on the second block from the intersection of Center." Surviving the great fire of May 4, 1851, encircled at one time by the flames, it was later converted into a store. Then it was used for an icehouse, and a few years ago the building was torn down to make way for an iron works.">

Earle Hotel 725 East Main Street. This building was originally called the Sutter Hotel. In the 1940s it became known as. the Hotel Milner and then in the 1960 the Hotel Earle. The ground floor has had various business since the building was constructed, including clothing stores, tailors, a shoe shine shop, a cigar store, a liquor store,Ê Gorham bicycle shop, a gift sh5p, and a book store. Earle Hotel / Milner Hotel - 725 East Main Street - originally called the Sutter Hotel

Edison Villa - Navy Drive - War time housing


Espania Hotel - S. Hunter

Europa Hotel - Weber Fire Department - 1880s - 191-193 East Channel

Fair Hotel - 34 S. San Joaquin - Dale Hotel 1917


Fontana Hotel (1920), 324 East Market Street

Fox Hotel - 305 S. El Dorado Street - Photo courtesy of Floyd Perry Jr

Furukawa Hotel - S. Center

Glenn Hotel - 315 E. Market St. - Demolished

Golden West Hotel - West Main Street


Granada Hotel - 901-915 East Main Street - Built in 1918 - Demolished

California & Channel - Grand Central Hotel Grand Central Hotel - 190 N. California & Channel NE Corner - In 1890, John Henderson was the proprietor

Grand Hotel - 25 E. Washington St - Demolished with the West End Redevelopment (E. Lafayette on Map - 1917 - Garabaldi Hotel)

Hanson Rooms - 120 North Hunter Street

Harvard Hotel - 108 East Weber

St Francis Hotel

Holiday Inn - 221 N. Center at Weber Point

Eagle Hotel- Weber & San Joaquin NW Corner, late 19th century - Demolished

Hood Hotel 34 South San Joaquin - See Hotel Fair

Hoover Hotel - 234 East Market Street - Demolished

Ideal Hotel - (The cream colored building) - 33 S. San Joaquin. The first listing in Stockton City Directories was in 1917, for 'The Ideal," which was noted as the Ideal Hotel by 1919, and remained so through at least 1950.

Formerly The Imperial Hotel - built in 1897 at a cost of $40,000 by the Rothenbush family of brewery fame. It catered mostly to traveling men as it was located close to the railroad as it was located close to the railroad depots. Buses picked up guests at all depots including the Santa Fe on South San Joaquin Street. It was once the four-story Imperial Hotel. The elaborate hotel had a tower, dormers, and balconies. The building was designed by Charles Beasley, a well-know architect in the area. It was a very prestigious establishment, hosting all of the officials and celebrities who stayed in Stockton. The hotel boasted of its hot and cold running water, electric bells. to communicate with the front desk, an electric elevator and an elaborate fire alarm system. The hotel was a huge success until the Hotel Stockton opened in 1910, which offered a more convenient location to the busy shipping channels and Stockton's. downtown. Having lost. the upper three floors in a fire in the late 1940s, the hotel went out of business. The building maintains little of its original architectural style and grandeur. The remaining ground floor has recently been converted into offices and monitoring facilities for Bay Alarm.

James Hotel 10 N. Stanislaus
Kashukan Hotel - W. Washington St
Lafayette Hotel - West Main Street
Le Roy Hotel - 122 West Market Street - Demolished

Land Hotel - 24-34 North California St. Built in 1896 - Demolished September 2012 -According to local historian Alice van Ommeren, the two-story hotel was built by pioneer clothing merchant Michael Arndt and provided inexpensive housing for low-wage agriculture workers. For much of its lifespan, the Land also went by at least four other names: The Wakefield, the Dawson The New CallÊ and The Palace Rooms. Through the years, the ground floor's storefront occupants included the Trocadero bar, the Record Stop and the Club International pool hall. The building also was an early home to The Record. The Land's decline mirrored that of downtown. Demolished in September of 2012. This sign was exposed with the demolition of the Land Hotel

La Verta Hotel - 635 E. Main - Built in 1913. - Demolished

Leland Hotel - 13 North Center Street and then located at 546 East Weber Avenue in 1945. Corner of American. Weber Inn - Appearing on the 1895, 1917, and 1950 Stockton Sanborn Maps. By 1912, Stockton City Directories listed 546 as the New American House. It remained listed as such through 1935. In 1930, 548 was listed separately as the Weber Inn, and in 1935 as G. Woehrle Beer, and remained a liquor store through 1950. By 1940, 546 was listed as the Tranquility Rooms, and in 1945 as the Leland Hotel. The upper part of the building is currently vacant. The ground floor is occupied by The Weber Inn.

Liberty Hotel - 348 S. El Dorado St.

Lido Hotel - 113 N. Wilson Way. The Lido Hotel was built in 1920. Hotels and other structures in this era were built with great detail. From the exterior you can see the intricate design typical of this time period. Inside you will not be disappointed with the lovely woodwork.

Collins Lincoln Hotel - 118-20 South El Dorado. Built in 1919 by the Wong brothers on South El Dorado Street, was considered one of Stockton’s finest hotels of the time. It was located in what later became "skid row", the hotel eventually became a rooming house for gamblers and prostitutes. During it's last years it operated as a working mans hotel. Sometime before 1958 It became the Hotel Collins-Lincoln - it was demolished in 1963. Photos courtesy of Ron Chapman

Lorraine Hotel - 18 S. Center - Demolished
Los Angeles Hotel - S. Center
McAlister Hotel - See Commercial Hotel

Macarthur Hotel - 24 E. Lafayette - Photo courtesy of Floyd Perry Jr.

Main Hotel - 11-15 N. California - Left photo courtesy of Floyd Perry Jr. in 1919 it was the Hotel McAlister Name change to Hotel Main by 1925. In 1950 it became residential apartments.

106 N. Hunter Street Originally Mansion House, 106 North Hunter Street. This building was constructed in 1873. The Mansion House was well known in early Stockton, both architecturally and within the business community. Located directly across the street from the county courthouse and one block east of the Channel, the building held a central location in the city. Before major alterations, the building was a strong example of ltalianate style-commercial building. 106 N. Hunter Street - Originally Mansion House

Manx Hotel - 405 East Main Street - 415 East Main - Tuly's - 1920s - Postcard courtesy of Terry Gust

Mark Twain Hotel / Marion Hotel- 426 East Market Street - Demolished

Hotel Marion - 426 East Market Street

Market Hotel - East Market St

Merrill Hotel - 28 S. American St. Built in 1925. Between 1930 and 1945, Turner Hardware occupied this building. By 1950, Montgomery Ward & Co. occupied 20-30 North American. The 1917 Sanborn Map for the City of Stockton did not record the current building. The 1950 Sanborn Map shows the. current building and noted the owner as Montgomery Ward & Co. A neon sign mounted on the facade and a painted sign on the side of this building announce it as the Hotel Merrill. By 1940 and through 1950. The building stands today.

Mikado Hotel - S. El Dorado
Mikado Hotel 2 - S. Commerce Modern Hotel - See Steve's Hotel

The Stag Inn was at 301 S. El Dorado, Jerry's Garage at 302 S. El Dorado, Nakashima Hotel at 231 South El Dorado Street looking north from Lafayette in the 50s - This area was referred to as "Skid Row" -ÊDemolished

New Cal Hotel / Dawson Hotel / Palace Rooms - 24-34 North California Street


New York Hotel / New York Apartments - 34 S. Aurora / Formerly 901 East Market St. The 1917 Sanborn maps notes the building as the Hate/New York, with a bar, restaurant, and storage on the first floor. Though a plaque on the building gives a 1910 construction date, the first listing in Stockton City Directories was In 1915. The New York Hotel was listed here through at feast 1950. Its proximity to the rail lines meant that this area was able to support a large number of hotels and temporary housing. - Today it's the New York Apartments. left photo courtesy of Ron Chapman.

Stockton Rescue Mission / Former Nippon Hotel (1931)- 401 South Center- Demolished in West End Redevelopment

Nixon Hotel / Alex Hotel - 335 S San Joaquin - Demolished
Nobby Hotel - S. Center Street - Demolished
Noble Hotel - 19 North Hunter Street - Demolished
Oakland Hotel - 132 E. Main St. - Demolished

Oxford Hotel - 839 East Market Street. Built in 1918 - The Oxford Hotel occupies the upstairs of the main building. It consists of 32 rooms occupied by hotel residents (including a 2 bedroom quarter where the resident manager resides)

Occidental Hotel - SW Corner Center and Main Streets

Owl Hotel with On Lock Sam - 125 E. Market St. - Demolished

Pacific Hotel - S. Center St Panama Hotel - West Market Street & Center

Phelan Hotel - 438 E. Market - Demolished - Photo courtesy of Floyd Perry jr.

Philadelphia House - 205 Bridge St. - Pioneer Coal - 315 North Hunter - 1880s

Philson Hotel - 17 N. Sutter - In 1923, a fire destroyed the Hotel Philson along this side of the original structure and also damaged some of the upper stories of the Commercial Savings Bank

Quezon Hotel / Western Hotel / Hotel Fukoa / 228 South El Dorado - Demolished

The Reid Hotel / Bailey Hotel, Hotel Modern / Steve's Hotel - Reid Hotel 440 E. Weber Ave. - 1917,Ê Appearing on the 1950 Sanborn map and is noted as a hotel and restaurant. The first listing for this address in City Directories was in 1917, when it was the Reid Hotel. The Reid changed to the Bailey Hotel in the late 1925. By 1935, it was listed as the Hotel Modern, and by 1945 as Steve's Hotel. It was built as a mixed use building with commercial spaces on the ground floor and rooms on second floor.

Richards Hotel - 18 South El Dorado Street- Demolished
Riverside Hotel - 16 1/2 E. Weber Ave - Demolished
Roosevelt Hotel - 115 1/2 East Market Street

Hotel Russell / Elks Hotel / Hotel Kisukan - 327 South Center Street

New San Joaquin Hotel - 243 East Weber Avenue. The building in the center of the photo. The structure on the right is the Belding Building. The building is still there although heavily remodeled - San Joaquin Hotel -1850-1891 - San Joaquin Hotel - 1850-1891 Weber & San Joaquin - NW Corner

San Joaquin Hotel - E. Market St

Sanchez Mira Hotel 348 South El Dorado Street. It later became the Liberty Hotel

Satsumaya Hotel - E. Lafayette

Sherman Hotel, 32 South Sutter Street. Left Photo courtesy of Floyd Perry Jr.

Sherman House - 926 East Main Street, then in 1930 New Depot Hotel and 1950 New Depot Apartments - Demolished

00 Block South El Dorado

St. Leo Hotel - 33-45 N. California Corner of Weber -looking N.E. with Stockton Engineering College and Ghiardelli sign. The St. Leo was built in 1913


Star Hotel - 315 South El Dorado - Demolished - Photo courtesy of Kevin Shawver

State Hotel - 201-215 N. California - At Lindsay - Building is still standing

Steve's Hotel - 440 E. Weber Ave

Stockton House / St. Charles Hotel - Bridge Street - Built as the Stockton House in 1849, it was the first good hotel in the city and located on Bridge Street opposite the head of the channel. The grand opening was held on March 23, 1850. it later became the St. Charles. Originally the Golden Lion Hotel, the lumber for which was brought around Cape Horn in 1850. It had thirty nine rooms. The building burned in 1871.

Hotel Stockton

Hotel Stockton - 149 East Weber Avenue at El Dorado

The Hotel Stockton is one of Stockton's most memorable landmarks and most photographed. It was built in 1910 by local businessmen Lee A. Phillips, Frank A. West and Samuel Frankenheimer. The three secured an option on a parcel known as 'Weber Hole' at the head of the Stockton Channel. Architect Edgar B. Brown drew the plans for the building, which was to become the first re-enforced concrete structure in the Central Valley.

Construction began on July 13, 1909, and the hotel was opened on May 25, 1910. $500,000.00 was spent to erect this structure which contained 252 rooms, 200 with private bath, and a magnificent roof garden with fountain and pergola. The rooms were available to guests at a cost of $2.00 with bath, $1.00 without. The Hotel offered travelers through Stockton on any one of three rail systems, Delta river steamers and roadways an elegant place to stay. Comfort and elegance were the hallmarks of the Hotel Stockton.

In 1950, an extensive renovation was undertaken at a cost of $200,000.00. The timing for such a hotel in the heart of Stockton was poor. Roadside motels, limited parking for automobiles near the hotel and rising costs forced the hotel to close its doors on November 26, 1960. Much of the hotel was occupied by the County, since the County courthouse across the street was slated for demolition. For many years, the County Department of Public Assistance was housed in the hotel. In 1992, the County vacated the structure, moving into new facilities. The Hotel Stockton was a symbol of the community for half a century and is a city landmark structure. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hotel Stockton - See The Hotel Stockton Page