Today, Mendocino is known for its unique and welcoming inns and hotels. One of the town’s first hotels was John E. Carlson’s City Hotel. John was born in Colson, Sweden on June 20, 1827 and boarded a ship bound for California in 1849 at the start of the Gold Rush. He quickly grew disillusioned by panning gold, and set out as a crewman on ships bound for Sweden, China, Panama, and back to San Francisco. From there, he traveled up the coast to Mendocino to log the redwoods. By 1857, John was tired of logging and bought a lot at the west end of Main Street from William Kelley. He built a three-story hotel and livery barn, stocked with horses, wagons, and carriages.
The City Hotel thrived in the early years, and John was well liked in Mendocino. In October 1870, a fire consumed 25 buildings on Mendocino’s Main Street, including the City Hotel. John did not have insurance and suffered a loss of $14,000 plus his income. He immediately began rebuilding a bigger and better hotel to recoup his losses. Within six months, he was nearly finished with construction. The new City Hotel boasted a parlor, dining room, and saloon on the ground floor. The dining room became a popular spot for locals to have Sunday dinner after church. The second floor contained guest rooms, each with a bed, chair, and commode (made up of pots, bowls, and water pitchers). The third floor housed the family’s living quarters and housing for employees.
John married Elizabeth Kupp in 1859. Presumably a widow, Elizabeth and her son John moved to Mendocino from Ireland in the mid-1850s. The couple would have twin daughters and a son in the early 1860s. Daughters Elizabeth and Catherine managed the hotel dining room during breaks from school. In September 1882, John retired and sold the business to his stepson John and son Edward.
The City Hotel continued on under the next generation, with the dining room maintaining its stellar reputation. On July 4th, 1884, the dining room served 350 guests, and curried lamb stew was served every Sunday. By 1890, John and Edward were ready to move on, and leased the hotel to E.C. Buell, who struggled to keep the hotel open, selling off all the furniture in 1894. Soon after, the Kupp-Carlson’s sold the hotel to Raymond Rasmussen, who converted the hotel into apartments. The building was bought by the Mendocino Lumber Company in 1907 and dismantled. The hotel’s water tower still stands and is the oldest in Mendocino.
Kelley House Museum curator Averee McNear writes a weekly column on Mendocino County history for Mendocino Voice. To learn more, visit kelleyhousemuseum.org.
Grew up in a stage stop and then a railroad stop on Mt. House Rd. near Hopland, built in the 1860s. A most beautiful place that still had a huge pink mirror in the room where the bar was. In the early 2000s we looked into finding help with the historical society but they never responded. Sadly the place got sold in 2020 and I am do sad that it will probably be destroyed . The new owners have no desire to save it.