Guide to the St. George Hotel Collection (1899-1984)

This collection contains hotel registers for the St. George Hotel. Some of these registers are water damaged and in poor condition. The other registers are in excellent condition. The registers document guests visiting the hotel at various times in its history from 1899 to 1926. Some of the interesting entries include various baseball clubs that came to Santa Cruz to play the local team, movie studios, plus many other people from across the state or country. There are also other registers covering the period from 1969 to 1973. In addition there are business records from the 1970s, and ephemera most likely from the same timeframe. There is also a set of records not related to the St. George Hotel, primarily depositions for cases against the Portland Cement Company.

The St. George Hotel was built in 1897 by Anson Hotaling. Anson Hotaling was a San Francisco real estate developer, and in the mining and whiskey distilling business. He was a frequent visitor to Santa Cruz. He built on the original hotel site the Pacific Ocean House. The Pacific Ocean House and other local businesses (People’s Bank, Tanner’s Drug Store, Jonas’ Brothers Clothing and Mrs. Howard Antrim’s boarding house) were burned to the ground in 1894. Mr. Hotaling built the St. George Hotel on this location.

Anson Hotaling spared no expense building this new, modern hotel in Santa Cruz. He recruited an Italian craftsman to live in Santa Cruz to install a Primitive Mosaic Tile floor. He also recruited a German Artist to paint eight wall murals. To complete the European theme for his hotel, Anson imported furniture and other room settings using French sailing ships going around the Cape Horn. Another feature used by all visitors to the hotel was the first elevator in Santa Cruz. The hotel was a popular stopping point for dignitaries and visitors to Santa Cruz, such as Fox Film Studios and the many baseball clubs that came to Santa Cruz to play the local team. Per the local papers “The hotel was widely praised for its beauty” and gave “Santa Cruzans reason to be proud.”

The appearance of the hotel was being eclipsed by other hotels in the area. In 1919 the hotel was extensively remodeled. The exterior was changed to Spanish Colonial revival style with iron balconies and stucco relief. The interior now included new furnishings, electrical outlets for the convenience of patrons, and the rooms were equipped with showers and bathtubs. For the opening ceremony the David Ferrari band played throughout the evening.

The hotel steadily declined. The lobby was trashed when the 1955 San Lorenzo River flooded. By the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake it was a flophouse for the forgotten. After the earthquake the owners obtained financing to refurbish the hotel. It is now a multinational community and is home to local businesses like the Santa Cruz Bookshop.

Series I. Hotel Registers (1899-1928)

Subseries I.A. Hotel Register, 1899-1900
Subseries I.B. Hotel Register, 1903-1904
Subseries I.C. Hotel Transfer Ledger, 1908-1909
Subseries I.D. Hotel Register, 1911
Subseries I.E. Hotel Register, 1917-1918
Subseries I.F. Hotel Register, 1918-1919
Subseries I.G. Hotel Transfer Ledger, 1926-1928

Series II. Account Books, Record Books, and Money Receipt Book (1969-1984)

Subseries II.A. Account Books (1969-1973)
Subseries II.B. Record Books (1970-1971)
Subseries II.C. Money Receipt Book (1970)
Subseries II.D. Daily Account Pages and Bank Deposit Receipts (1971-1972)
Subseries II.E. Business Receipts from Santa Cruz Hardware (circa 1971)
Subseries II.F. Room Payment Receipts (circa 1971)
Subseries II.G. Guest Receipts (1984)

Series III. Correspondence (1973)

Series IV. Ephemera

Series V. Superior Court Documents (1956-1964)

SERIES I. HOTEL REGISTERS (1899-1928)

Seven (7) Boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains seven (7) boxes containing hotel registers for the St. George Hotel. Some of these registers are water damaged.

SUBSERIES I.A. Hotel Register, 1899-1900

One (1) Box

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains the hotel register for 1899-1900. This register was donated by Alice Wilder in 1972, Accession # 72.8. This register has severe water damage, some of the writing on pages are badly faded. Also, on a couple of pages loose paper are stuck to the page covering the writing. Some interesting notes: visiting baseball clubs stayed at the St. George (the San Francisco Club on May 13^th, Watsonville Club on May 17^th, San Jose Club on May 19^th, plus other clubs and dates.

Box ID#

1

SUBSERIES I.B. Hotel Register, 1903-1904

One (1) Box

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains the hotel register for 1903-1904. This register is in excellent condition with some slight wear on the cover. This register is in chronological order starting with June 27, 1903 to May 4, 1904. This register contains the guest’s names, their place of residence, and room they stayed in.

Box ID#

2

SUBSERIES I.C. Hotel Transfer Register, 1908-1909

One (1) Box

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains the hotel transfer ledger for 1908-1909. This register is in poor condition, cover and binding are gone, and the many of the pages are water damaged and sticking. The register is in alphabetical order. The entries include the guest’s names, dates they stayed at the hotel, and charges.

Box ID#

3

SUBSERIES I.D. Hotel Register, 1911

One (1) Box

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains the hotel register for 1911. This register is in poor condition with heavy water damage of the cover and pages, many pages are stuck together. The register is in chronological order starting with January 9, 1911 to October 21, 1911.

Box ID#

4

SUBSERIES I.E. Hotel Register, 1917-1918

One (1) Box

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains the hotel register for 1917-1918. This register is in excellent condition with some slight wear on the cover. This register is in chronological order starting with August 20, 1917 to June 15, 1918. This register contains the guest’s names, their place of residence, and room they stayed in. On June 14, 1918 a large number of people from the Monterey Presidio were visiting Santa Cruz.

Box ID#

5

SUBSERIES I.F. Hotel Register, 1918-1919

One (1) Box

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains the hotel register for 1918-1919. This register is in excellent condition with some slight wear on the cover. This register is in chronological order starting with June 15, 1917 to March 26, 1919. The register contains the guest’s names, their place of residence, and room they stayed in. Interesting note: as would be expected, during the Influenza Epidemic (about October 15 to January) business declined. But, for December 3rd, 4th and 5th there was a large increase in the number of guests who registered. The guests were from all over California. It is possible they were in town for Monsignor Fisher’s funeral, pastor of the Holy Cross Church and prominent member of the Catholic community.

Box ID#

6

SUBSERIES I.G. Hotel Transfer Ledger, 1926-1928

One (1) Box

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains the hotel transfer ledger for 1926-1928. This register has slight water damage around the edges. This ledger is in alphabetical order listing date of arrival, patrons name, place of residence, room rate, room number, and date of departure.

Box ID#

7

SERIES II. BUSINESS RECORDS (1969-1984)

Five (5) Books, Four (4) Folders, and Two (2) Envelopes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains account, record, and money receipt books for the St. George Hotel. These books are in good condition.

SUBSERIES II.A. Account Books (1969-1973)

Two (2) Books

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains two green cloth covered account books. These account books appear to have been used as hotel registers listing room number, guest’s name, and address. One book goes from January 1969 to September 4, 1970. The other book goes from October 4, 1971 to August 2, 1973.

Box ID#

8

SUBSERIES II.B. Record Books (1970-1971)

Two (2) Books

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains two red covered record books. These record books are in chronological order. These books list guest’s payments. Information included is the room number, guest’s name, dates in the room, room charge, and tax. One book goes from May 13, 1970 to December 31, 1970. The other book goes from January 1, 1971 to July, 23 1971.

Box ID#

8

SUBSERIES II.C. Money Receipt Book (1970)

One (1) Book

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains one money receipt book. This book contains the paper receipt copies for guest’s who made payments. The book goes from August 21, 1970 to September 21, 1970.

Box ID#

8

SUBSERIES II.D. Daily Account Pages and Bank Deposit Receipts (1971-1972)

Three (3) Folders

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains daily account pages and bank deposit receipts. These pages are from December 1, 1971 to November 30, 1972.

Box ID#/Folder ID#

8-9: 1-3

SUBSERIES II.E. Business Receipts from Santa Cruz Hardware (circa 1971)

One (1) Folder

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains business receipts for Santa Cruz Hardware for various materials including keys.

Box ID#/Folder ID#

9: 4

SUBSERIES II.F. Room Payment Receipts (circa 1971)

One (1) Envelope

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains room payment receipts.

Box ID#/Folder ID#

9: 5

SUBSERIES II.G. Guest Receipts (1984)

One (1) Envelope

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains guest payment receipts. Monthly rate appears to have been $200 while the daily rate was between $12 and $18.

Box ID#/Folder ID#

9: 6

SERIES III. CORRESPONDENCE (1973)

One (1) Envelope

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains business related correspondence. There is one letter to a roofing company. There is another letter from the San Francisco Elks Hotel concerning rent increase. There is also a letter from the Santa Cruz Health Department specifying the health code violations identified during the July 18, 1973 inspection.

Box ID#/Folder ID#

9: 7

SERIES IV. EPHEMERA

Two (2) Folders, and One (1) Envelope

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains various ephemera from the St. George Hotel. There is a small clipboard, probably from the 1960s or 1970s, that lists the undesirables – Do Not rent to these people. There is also a set of room or cabinet keys or keyholders.

Box ID#/ Folder ID#

9-10: 8-9

SERIES V. SUPERIOR COURT DOCUMENTS (1956-1964)

Nine (9) Folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains some Santa Cruz Superior Court documents listed below:

1. Deposition of Joseph Pfyffer taken on November 20, 1956. For Fred Pfyffer vs. Santa Cruz Portland Cement Company.
2. Deposition of George Silliman taken on November 21, 1956. For George Silliman vs. Santa Cruz Portland Cement Company.
3. Deposition of Alvin V. Gregory taken on November 19, 1956. For Alvin Gregory vs. Santa Cruz Portland Cement Company.
4. Deposition of Tillman A. Morelli taken on January 11, 1957. For Morelli, Morelli, and Morelli vs. Santa Cruz Portland Cement Company.
5. Deposition of Maria Caiocca taken on January 11, 1957. For Maria Caiocca vs. Santa Cruz Portland Cement Company.
6. Deposition of Dennis Dimos taken on January 17, 1957. For Dimos and Dimos vs. Santa Cruz Portland Cement Company.
7. Deposition of W.H. Whelan taken on January 17, 1957. For Molfino, Whelan Mori and Davenport Bakery vs. Santa Cruz Portland Cement Company.
8. Deposition of Bernard C. Morrow taken on September 28, 1964. For Brookdale Lodge vs. Anderson, Morrow, Morrow, Waldron, Lloyd, and Morrow.
9. Notice submitted to owner or owners of coin operated pinball machines by the Santa Cruz Police department. The notice includes the test results showing the machines were not in compliance with state regulations.

 Box ID#/Folder ID#

10: 10-18