Ione in Amador County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
The Commercial Hotel
City of Ione Downtown Historic District
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, March 12, 2022
1. The Commercial Hotel Marker
Inscription.
The Commercial Hotel. . The building before you was originally built in 1856 as the two-story Williams Hotel. In 1875, Mr. E.A. Kingsley purchased the hotel for $2,000 and renamed it The Veranda. A spectacular kitchen fire in January of 1884 claimed the hotel, adjoining buildings, and the life of one guest. Insurance did not cover the loss, but within two weeks, Mrs. Kingsley had plans for the construction of the new Commercial Hotel, pictured above. With balconies gracing three sides of the structure and a dining area that could seat more than 100 guests, the hotel was considered the finest lodging in Ione City, with rates of $2 per day., On July 12, 1930, a fire caused by faulty wiring on the third floor blazed through the structure, destroying the hotel, the first-floor restaurant, and the California Trust and Savings Bank housed within. The Ione and Jackson Fire Departments battled the fire all night and successfully prevented the spread of the flames to neighboring buildings. Damage to the Hotel was estimated at $25,000-the top two floors were a total loss., The surviving ground floor was remodeled soon after, becoming home to a variety of businesses, including a Bank of America; a piano studio operated by Elizabeth Brubeck, jazz musician Dave Brubeck's mother; and Gillum's Grocery Store. In 1966, the City of Ione purchased and modified the building once more to serve as its City Hall and Police Department after the former City Hall was itself destroyed by fire. ,
The building before you was originally built in 1856 as the two-story Williams Hotel. In 1875, Mr.
E.A. Kingsley purchased the hotel for $2,000 and renamed it The Veranda. A spectacular kitchen fire
in January of 1884 claimed the hotel, adjoining buildings, and the life of one guest. Insurance did
not cover the loss, but within two weeks, Mrs. Kingsley had plans for the construction of the new
Commercial Hotel, pictured above. With balconies gracing three sides of the structure and a dining area that
could seat more than 100 guests, the hotel was considered the finest lodging in Ione City, with rates of $2
per day.
On July 12, 1930, a fire caused by faulty wiring on the third floor blazed through the structure, destroying
the hotel, the first-floor restaurant, and the California Trust and Savings Bank housed within. The Ione and
Jackson Fire Departments battled the fire all night and successfully prevented the spread of the flames to
neighboring buildings. Damage to the Hotel was estimated at $25,000-the top two floors were a total loss.
The surviving ground floor was remodeled soon after, becoming home to
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a variety of businesses, including a
Bank of America; a piano studio operated by Elizabeth Brubeck, jazz musician Dave Brubeck's mother; and
Gillum's Grocery Store. In 1966, the City of Ione purchased and modified the building once more to serve
as its City Hall and Police Department after the former City Hall was itself destroyed by fire.
Erected 2015 by Ione Community Program, City of Ione.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce.
Location. 38° 21.169′ N, 120° 55.998′ W. Marker is in Ione, California, in Amador County. It is at the intersection of East Main Street and South Church Street, on the right when traveling west on East Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 East Main Street, Ione CA 95640, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in California’s Sierra Nevada. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Pacific Rim, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, March 12, 2022
2. The Commercial Hotel (now city hall) and marker - wide view
itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 14, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 610 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on March 14, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
