The Occidental Hotel in is one of the many forgotten historic hotels of Juneau, Alaska. This news article will explain and divulge into the extensive history behind Occidental Hotel.
The Occidental Hotel was established by John Olds in 1881. Construction began on the hotel in 1881. He hired a few hands to help build his hotel. The town of Juneau was mostly a mining town at the time. (Ref: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020657/1912-12-26/ed-1/seq-1/ocr/)
John Olds founded the hotel with Charles Morse. The Occidental Hotel was originally planned to be called The Franklin. However that did not happen as his business partner, Charles Morse, would not agree. So they decided to shake dice to see what the hotel should be named. John Olds won and the Occidental hotel came into existence. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/55024939/)
“When Olds and his partner decided to take over a hotel which had been called The Franklin, Olds wanted the new structure to be the New Franklin, but his partner would not agree. They decided to shake dice to see what the hotel should be named. The partner won and the Occidental hotel came into existence. S. O. Wheolock, who had sold the Franklin hotel, was so infuriated because the new managers had changed the name that he resolved to open another hotel as the New Franklin and put the Occidental out of business. But he didn't succeed, for no one could match the geniality of John Olds, symbol of the Occidental. The jovial hotel manager was one of the first men to enter the Gold Creek rush, near where Juneau now stands.”
His first establishment was the Franklin Hotel, on the upper side of Front Street near Main Street. Franklin Hotel was replaced in 1892 by a much larger hotel called the Occidental Hotel, located on the same site. Olds & Orton operated the Occidental Hotel. (Ref: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42170195/john-olds)
The City of Juneau had faced an extensive and terrible earthquake extending from Bituya Bay to Cook Inlet on September 14, 1899. Fortunately no damage to the Occidental Hotel was done. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/467151744/)
“Buildings were badly shaken and people ran out into the streets in their fright. There were minor tremblings all day long. The large buildings, such as the Occidental Hotel, Stannis Hospital and the church, shook and rattled like, a crazy ship in a gale. No damage to property was done here or elsewhere. The mountains are all In place around Juneau. The shocks here continued steadily from thirty seconds to two minutes. A gale was blowing at the time. The earthquake seemed to be traveling south and taking plenty of time to shake up the country as It passed along. The most severe shocks were felt at Yakutat and Kayak.”
Occidental Hotel had a bar and saloon. An auxiliary steam heating plant was built to prove steam heating for the hotel. John Olds had owned the hotel, bar, and saloon. This included the hotel annexes west of the main building. (Ref: Sanborn Map of Juneau, 1912)
There is a cabinet, in the office of the Occidental Hotel at Juneau which contains specimens of ore from almost every mile of territory from Windham Bay to Seward. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/239274324/)
By 1894, Occidental Hotel had hot & cold water in all 25 rooms. Occidental Hotel was located on Waterfront Street. Occidental Hotel still had a bar and saloon. An auxiliary steam heating plant was built to prove steam heating for the hotel. (Ref: library.alaska.gov/hist/hist_docs/docs/ms010/ms10_juneau_historical_subjects_files_H.pdf)
John P. Olds began issuing token for the hotel, bar, and saloon from 1901 until 1917. However these tokens were mainly used at the bar and saloon. These tokens were good for drinks. (Ref: http://tokencatalog.com/token_record_forms.php?action=DisplayTokenRecord&td_id=186565&inventory_id=391667&attribution_id=189425)
The Alaska Daily Empire reported about the last meal of dinner which was served at the Occidental Hotel on Christmas Eve on 1912. December 26, 1912 was the first time in the life of the hotel that the public has been denied a hospitable meal at that hostelry. (Ref: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020657/1912-12-26/ed-1/seq-1/)
The Occidental Hotel had their own business called Occidental Hotel Co. and a hotel annex called OCCIDENTAL HOTEL AND ANNEX by 1914. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/622200664/)
The Hammond Times from Hammond, Indiana reported that the Occidental Hotel had closed down in 1937. Occidental Hotel was well-remembered for its friendly spirit which John Olds infused the hotel with his cordiality. Occidental Hotel stood as a symbol of its early prominence. Occidental Hotel was abandoned and has been since then. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/55024939/)
[one often hears of these but in Juneau, the first frontier of golden Alaska, the Occidental hotel stands empty filled with Onco the ghosts of yesterday leading hostelry in Alaska, the hotel. As the show place of Juneau, the hotel used to stand near the waterfront. Its black sign, "Occidental Hotel," bearing welcome to tourists. The words of the sign have been almost erased now, the door is barred and dirty.]
[Just as the friendly career of John Olds was suddenly nipped, so was that of the hotel he ran Although a son, John Prior Olds ran the hotel until his death in 1918 at Camp Dodge, IA. The Occidental lost much of its former glory. Decayed now, it stands as a symbol of its early prominence.]
Occidental Hotel was located at 3 Front Street, Juneau, Alaska US 99801.
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