History @ the Holbrooke

The Holbrooke has history like most buildings have doors. From presidents to local politicians, from miners to highwaymen, the Holbrooke has seen its share of historical events and visitors.

Stephen and Clara Smith were among the first to invest in a boomtown known today as Grass Valley. They built the Adams Express Office and the Golden Gate Saloon which sadly, were destroyed by fire in 1855 along with most of Grass Valley. The Smiths rebuilt the popular saloon as a one story fieldstone building with a brick facade, making it safer from the threat of another fire. The Golden Gate Saloon is the oldest, continuously operated saloon west of the Mississippi River.

In 1862 a relative, Charles Smith, built the current structure and named it the Exchange Hotel. It was noted for it’s convenience to the local Gold Exchange. When the Gold Exchange closed, 18 ounces of pure gold were found in the carpeting. In 1879 the hotel was purchased by Ellen and Daniel Holbrooke and was given its current name. They continued to manage and operate the hotel until 1908.

In 1971, while working on a downtown Grass Valley beautification project for the business community, longtime resident Arletta Douglas, inspected a neglected hotel and realized that The Holbrooke Hotel was indeed a hidden treasure on Main Street. In 1982, hotel guest rooms were restored and in 1983, the adjacent historic Purcell House was acquired adding 11 additional rooms to the hotel.

While continuing to be a vital center for local residents, the hotel was sold to Howard and Peggy Levine in 1991. In 2002 it was sold to the Weaver Family. The hotel was sold again in 2005 to the current owners, Michael Nudelman, Jim O’Brien, Cheryl Rellstab and others known as Holbrooke Hotel, LLC. Over the years, the Hotel has hosted many famous guests that have included Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, James Garfield and prize fighters, “Gentleman Jim” Corbett and Bob Fitzsimmons. Famous authors Mark Twain and Bret Harte were also guests of the Holbrooke Hotel. The hotel was frequented by entertainers Lola Montez, Lotta Crabtree, and Emma Nevada. Rumor has it that the infamous highwayman, Black Bart was also a guest of the hotel.

In 1974 The Holbrooke Hotel was declared a California State Landmark and in 2007 accepted into the Historic Hotels of America National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Historic Holbrooke Hotel is Managed by Destination Properties, LLC