Structure Type: built works - dwellings -public accommodations - hotels
Designers: [unspecified]
Dates: constructed 1887, demolished 1962
3 stories
Overview
In 19th century CA, the name "Golden Eagle" was used frequently for hotels, as establishments called this could be found in Sacramento, San Francisco and Redding. The Golden Eagle Hotel operated on the southeast corner of California and Yuba Streets, between 1887 and 1962, when it was destroyed by a fire.
Building History
Completed in 1887, the Golden Eagle Hotel occupied a central place in the commercial life of Redding, CA. Local fraternal and benevolent associations rented spaces in the hotel for periodic meetings and dinners, making it a familiar place for the social leaders of the city.
The brothers August Heinrich Growoldt, Sr., (1870-1945) and George H. Gronwoldt (1866-1942) purchased the Golden Eagle Hotel in 1906. (See Jon Jefferson, Shasta Historical Society.org, You Tube.com, "Golden Eagle Hotel, Redding, Shasta County, California," published 05/2022, accessed 10/22/2024.) They had come from Essel, Lower Saxony, Germany, and arrived in the US about 1888 (according to the 1910 US Census). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Redding, Shasta, California; Roll: T624_107; Page: 17a; Enumeration District: 0084; FHL microfilm: 1374120, accessed 10/22/2024.) August, Sr., filed a declaration of intent to begin naturalization on 03/13/1894. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Archives; Sacramento, California; Film Number: 1673939; Film Description: Butte County Marriage Licenses, V. 2, 1873-1895 Naturalization Index, Citizens Admitted, 1850-1906, Nat.index, Nat .citizens,1850-1871, accessed 10/22/2024.)
The Gronwoldt Brothers continued own and manage it in 1935. By 1948, August's widow Sophronia Brown Gronwoldt (1890-1961) owned the hotel with August H. Gronwoldt, Jr., (1922-1983). (See Redding, California, City Directory, 1948, n.p.). She sold the hotel in 1958. (See Find A Grave.com, "Sophronia N. Brown Gronwoldt," accessed 10/22/2024.)
Building Notes
Like many large hotels of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Golden Eagle served as a social nexus and commercial anchor in its downtown. Retail storefronts on the first floor often supported tobacco stores, sweet shops, coffee shops/diners, barber shops, and liquor stores, used by travelers and locals alike. Over the years, the Golden Eagle housed a tavern (at 1457 Yuba Street in 1948), coffee shop (1435 Yuba Street in 1948) and barber shop (1443 Yuba in 1948) as well as stores to buy dry goods and hardware, drugs, liquor, cigars (1439 Yuba in 1948) and jewelry (1516 Market Street in 1948). (See Redding, California, City Directory, 1948, np and Jon Jefferson, Shasta Historical Society.org, You Tube.com, "Golden Eagle Hotel, Redding, Shasta County, California," published 05/2022, accessed 10/22/2024.)
By 1935, complimentary stationery for the hotel advertised that every room was air-conditioned.
Alteration
In 1887, the Golden Eagle opened as a two-story building, containing a lobby and central staircase, saloon, restaurant, public restrooms and meeting/banquet hall on its first floor. The second floor contained 42 guest rooms. A third story was added to the structure c. 1900, increasing the hotel's capacity to 100 guest rooms. The styling of the addition roughly followed that of the second floor.
A central balcony constructed of wrought iron, a familiar feature of 19th century hotels in California's Gold Country, stood on the front facade. this was removed during the 20th century. Additionally, metal sunshades that had sheltered pedestrians from heat and rain on the first floor had also been taken down.
Demolished
The hotel burned on 09/22/1962. (See Jon Jefferson, Shasta Historical Society.org, You Tube.com, "Golden Eagle Hotel, Redding, Shasta County, California," published 05/2022, accessed 10/22/2024.)
PCAD id: 25486