California Historical Landmarks in Sacramento County
California Historical Landmark 601
Western Hotel
2nd and K Streets
Sacramento
Built 1875
Demolished c1965
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Hand-Colored 1880 Lithograph, 11¼" x 14"
California History Room of California State Library
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1910 Photograph Courtesy California State Library
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1930 Photograph Courtesy University of California
(Click Images to Enlarge)
Western Hotel
Constructed by William Land in 1875, this hotel was one of the largest in the West. It was built on sites of earlier hotels of 1853-1854.
Citation from California Office of Historic Preservation
This new and elegantly furnished hotel, but two blocks from Rail Road Depot and Steamboat Landing, is one of the finest Houses on the Coast, with beautiful frescoed walls and all modern improvements, including Elevator, Fire Hydrant Extinguishers and Escapes on each Floor. Board and Lodging $1 to $2 per day. Meals 25 cents. A Coach will be at all Trains and Boats to convey Passengers and small Baggage to and from the House free of charge.
The photographs of the hotel do not match the lithograph. The classical revival style and the basic massing are similar, but the architectural details differ. I have no explanation for this discrepancy.
Like the original Sacramento Bee Building and other historic buildings, the Western Hotel was razed to clear a path for the I-5. The hotel was on K street between 2nd and 3rd Streets, a block that is now under the freeway.
The Western Hotel contributes to the Old Sacramento Historic District which is a National Historic Landmark.
We were unable to locate a bear flag plaque for the Western Hotel. Here's a list of other California Historical Landmarks which had no bear flag plaque when we visited them.