(KTXL) — In the mid-1800’s the Gold Rush caused a rush of people to migrate to what is now known as the Sacramento area, this influx of people created new buildings that are still standing to this day.
Sacramento
According to the Old Sacramento Waterfront Facebook page, the oldest building in Sacramento is the Lady Adams Building in the Sacramento Historic District. The building was built in 1849 and managed to survive the Great Fire of 1852, the Great Flood of 1861-62, and countless other disasters that have occurred in Sacramento. Currently, the building is home to Evangeline’s shop.
Citrus Heights
According to the City of Citrus Heights History and Arts Commission, the Fourteen Mile House located at 6540 Auburn Blvd. is one of the area’s oldest wooden structures. It was originally constructed as a way station for teamsters. While the exact date the building was erected is not known, the City of Citrus Heights History and Arts Commission indicates that it was built early in time with the facility being sold in 1950. There is no deed for this building so there is little information on who built the building and to who it was originally sold.
Auburn
Auburn is home to the Traveler’s Rest hotel which was originally built in 1851 and was originally popular with miners and those traveling along Auburn Folsom Road. In 1858, the hotel became a home and then in 1868 it was bought by a German immigrant, Benjamin Bernhard, who moved to California due to the Gold Rush. In 1874 the property then became a winery and a few years later in 1881 they added an additional building for processing.
Placerville
According to the El Dorado County Historical Society, the Fountain and Tallman Museum was built in 1852 and is the oldest building on Main Street in Placerville as well as listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Located at 524 Main Street, the building was originally the site of John Fountain and Benjamin Tallman’s Soda Works, according to the El Dorado County Historical Society. At the time, spring water was carbonated, bottled and sold to the miners. Soda water was important to the miners since the rivers and creeks were polluted from mining activities.
El Dorado County Historical Society said that several businesses have been located at the building since it has been built including Pacific Gas and Electric Company. They owned the building from 1927-1961 and made a condition that the building be held as a historic landmark when selling it. The Society received the building in 1981 and in 1983 it opened as a museum.
Nevada City
In Nevada City, the National Exchange Hotel is the state’s oldest continuously operating hotel according to Sierra Nevada Geotourism. Built between 1854-1857, the site held meetings that led to the formation of Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The National Exchange Hotel is a state and local landmark with a plaque in the parking lot that is dedicated to Nevada City’s one-time red-light district and its contribution to the California Gold Rush.
The National Exchange Hotel is located on Broad Street in historic downtown Nevada City. According to Sierra Nevada Geotourism, the hotel has 40 rooms, a restaurant, a bar and a swimming pool. The upstairs veranda is a very popular location for lunch and drinks during Nevada City special events. On weekends the bar offers live music, while every Tuesday the restaurant serves a steak and lobster special which is a popular spot for Nevada City locals.
