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Overview

A very long, three-story building, the Russ House was a landmark hotel that occupied the entire west side of Mongtomery Street between Bush and Pine Streets. Retail businesses occupied the first floor, while hotel guest rooms stood on the top two floors. After 1927, the Russ Building, an office skyscraper, occupied this parcel of land.

Building History

On 06/01/1861, an article in the Daily Alta California newspaper announced the planning of three large hotels in close proximity on Montgomery Street in San Francisco: the Lick House, Occidental Hotel and the Russ House. Of the Russ House, this article said: “The heirs of the Russ estate hold the eligible lots on the corner of Pine street, west side of Montgomery. Here is another hotel in process of erection, 275 feet on Montgomery by 80 feet deep, three stories high, with a wing in the centre, from Montgomery street, one hundred and thirty-seven and a half feet by forty feet, the same to be occupied as fourteen stores." The newspaper lauded their construction as a symbol of progress and an amenity serving bachelors and young families: “If all of these splendid buildings are ultimately to be opened as public houses for the accommodation of the traveling community, and permanent boarders and lodgers, this city will be favored, to an eminent degree, in the way of proper provision for the physical wants of man. San Francisco still contains more bachelors and ‘grass widowers’ than any city of its size in the Union, who must be taken ‘out of the cold’ and cared for it hotels. Then, there is more than the usual proportion of young families, who prefer boarding or hotel life to housekeeping, with its manifold annoyances. We hail any improvements of the character of those detailed above, with pleasure, particularly if the publicans who have the superintendence of them ‘know how to keep a hotel.’”(See “City Items: Montgomery Street Improvements,” Daily Alta California, vol. 13, no. 4214, 06/01/1861, p. 1.)

The architectural firm of Johnston and Mooser, which had designed the luxurious Occidental Hotel the year before, also designed the Russ House. (See Harold Kirker, California's Architectural Frontier, [Salt Lake City: Gibbs M. Smith, Incorporated, 1986], p. 78.)

The Russ House Hotel opened for business on 04/09/1862 with a commemorative dinner for dignitaries hosted by its proprietors, James Richmond Hardenbergh (born 1812 in NJ-d. 05/30/1883 in Sacramento, CA) and Joseph Palmer Dyer (born 01/29/1827 in Vinalhaven, ME-d. 07/07/1891 in Sacramento, CA). Both men had formerly served as Mayors of Sacramento, Hardenbergh during 1853-1854 and Dyer in 1857-1858. Additionally, Hardenbergh and Dyer had both been hotel operators in Sacramento during the 1850s, the former running the Orelans Hotel, the latter, the Union. Owners of prestigious and posh hotels developed deep social connections within 19th century American communities, as they could provide favors for politicians, policemen and other businessmen, hosting dinners, renting meeting facilities and beds, or catering special events.

The Daily Alta California provided an account of the Russ House's opening night dinner: “At 6 o’clock last evening a select party of gentlemen celebrated the formal opening of a first class hotel—the Russ House, by a dinner given by Messrs. Hardenbergh and Dyer, the proprietors. About thirty invited guests sat down at the festive board. Of the number present may be mentioned the names of Governor Nye of Nevada Territory, Col. T.J. Henley, the owners, builders and architect, A.P. Dudley of Calaveras County, ex-Governor Roop, Henry Love, etc. The table was set in a private room, adjoining the main dining apartment. The dishes were elegantly served, and until a late hour mirth reigned supreme. The Press was very complimentarily toasted by Governor Nye, ex-Senator Mahoney, Messrs., Love, Henley and others. The highest encomiums were paid to the present Government and the administration of President Lincoln. Eloquent speeches were made by Governor Nye, Roop, Dudley and others. The entertainment was an elegant one, and reflected great credit on the proprietors of this magnificent hotel.” (See "City Items: “Russ House Inauguration Dinner,” Daily Alta California, vol. XIV, no. 4433, 04/10/1862, p. 1.) Allen P. Dudley (born c. 1821 in NH) was a lawyer working in Calaveras County.

It appears that Hardenbergh and Dyer had accumulated significant debts by the mid-1860s, and lost the lease to the hotel as a result. The pair may have purchased a controlling interest in the Russ House in 1863, adding to their debt load. Additionally, a strike among hotel workers in Ssn Francisco must have caused further problems for the pair in 10/1863. An advertisement in the Daily Alta California newspaper indicated that a walkout of hotel workers among six large establisments in the city had necessitated room price increases. This note said: “We, the undersigned, Hotel Proprietors of the city of San Francisco, in consequence of the recent combination and demand for higher wages by our employees, which demand we have been obliged to comply with, find ourselves compelled to advance our prices on and after the 15th instant: Alstrom & Co., Lick House; Hardenbergh & Dyer, Russ House; G. W. Drink, Tehama; John Kelly, Jr., Brooklyn; F.E. Wiggant, International; John W. Sargent, American Exchange. San Francisco, October 12, 1863.” (See “A Card,” Daily Alta California, vol. 15, no. 4978, 10/15/1863, p. 2.)

By 06/1865, Hardenbergh and Dyer could no longer keep creditors at bay. They lost control of the hotel, as noted in a Daily Alta California classified ad of 06/16/1865: “The undersigned have this day purchased the interest of Hardenbergh & Dyer in the above well known, popular and commodious House. The House will be under the management and control of Simon H. Seymour, recently of the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and H.H Pearson, late of the American Exchange. It will be thoroughly refitted, and in all its appointments will compare favorably with any Hotel in the State. The proprietors, by strict attention to the comfort of their guests, hope to give satisfaction to all who may favor them with their patronage. San Francisco, June 13th, 1865. H.H. Pearson & Co.” (“Russ House, San Francisco, Cal.” Daily Alta California, vol. 17, no. 5580, 06/16/1865, p. 6.)

By 1869, H.H. Pearson and Company were the proprietors of the Russ House. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1869, p. 536.)

Simon H. Seymour's S.H. Seymour and Company had become the manager of this noted hotel. by 1874. (See Henry G. Langley, The San Francisco Directory for the Year Commencing April 1874, p. 574.) Eight years later, S.H. Seymour and Company continued to managed the Russ House, a hotel that had become well-known throughout CA, billing itself as "The leading business and family hotel of the Pacific Coast." (See Russ House advertisement, Los Angeles, California, City and County Directory, 1881-2, [Los Angeles: Southern California Directory Company, 1881], p. 168.) Seymour still operated the Russ House in 1890. (See Langley’s San Francisco Directory for the Year Commencing May 1890, p. 1146.)

Building Notes

An earlier iteration of PCAD indicated that the Russ House opened in 04/1869. This was in error. (Corrected 04/15/2020.)

Two one-time Russ House employees, John O’Grady and John H. Mills, robbed the Russ House sage in 1866. (See “Court Proceedings, County Court—Cowles J., The Russ House Robbery,” Daily Alta California, vol. 18, no. 5910, 05/10/1866, p. 1.)

Various small businesses occupied the first-floor storefronts of the Russ House during the 1860s. Wolf's Cigar Store operated there in 10/1866. (See classified ad, Daily Alta California, vol. 18, no. 6067, 10/21/1866, p. 4.) The following year,Peter Thomson and Son opened their men’s furnishing goods store at 209 Montgomery Street, Russ House. (See classified ad, Daily Alta California, vol. 19, no. 6386, 09/09/1867, p. 2.) Gates and Keith, Apothecaries, had their apothecary shop at 219 Montgomery Street in the Russ House. According to their classified ad, they were "importers of drugs, medicines, German, French and English perfumery and brushes. Physicians prescription compounded with care and accuracy.” (See classified ad, Daily Alta California, vol. 21, no. 7011, 05/30/1869, p. 2.)

Alteration

In 1863, an advertisement in the Daily Alta California newspaper indicated that the Russ House Hotel had been enlarged to a capacity of 342 rooms. It read: “The subscribers, to meet the wants of the traveling public and the patrons of the House, have purchased the three-story Hotel on Pine street, and have connected the same, by which addition the Hotel now contains 342 rooms, which makes it the most extensive, commodious and desirable Hotel on the Pacific Coast. Hardenbergh and Dyer.” (See “Further Enlargement to the Russ House, San Francisco,” Daily Alta California, vol. XV, no. 5003, 11/09/1863, p. 2.)

An 1882 ad for the Russ House in the Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1882, indicated that the hotel had recently been "refitted & refurnished." (See Russ House advertisement, Los Angeles, California, City and County Directory, 1881-2, [Los Angeles: Southern California Directory Company, 1881], p. 168.)

Demolition

The Russ House was destroyed in the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 04/18-19/1906. It was replaced by a three-story office building that stood on the site between c. 1907 and 1925. In 1927, San Francisco architect George Kelham (1871-1936) designed the Russ Building, a 31-story office tower that took the place of this 3-story block on the Russ Family's Montgomery Street property. (See Rand Richards, Historic Walks in San Francisco, 18 Trails through the City’s Past, [San Francisco: Heritage House Publishers, 2008], p. 112.)

PCAD id: 20357