It Happened at the National

by Maria E. Brower
Paperback, 182 pages
Elena J’s Publications, July 1, 2011

The National Hotel in Nevada City probably is the oldest continuously operating hotel in California-if not since 1856, when it first opened as the National Exchange Hotel after the devastating city-wide fire of that year, then at least since 1864, when it reopened months after being gutted by another downtown conflagration. An accurate history of this hotel could not be written without including the colorful historical background of Nevada City from Gold Rush days right up to the present, or describing the fascinating careers of people who made the mining town hum.

It was said that over $8 million passed over the counter of the National Hotel bar in the 19th century. According to one account, the wooden top of the bar was eight inches thick during the Civil War, but had worn down to less than two inches by 1900. From time to time complaints were made about neighboring brothels, but such annoyances were regularly handled with discretion on all sides, and the offending houses continued to operate well into the 20th century. Copiously illustrated and full of anecdotes that are amusing, tragic or astonishing by turns, this is a book for all ages to enjoy and savor.

Maria E. Brower is the author of Nevada City and Gold Rush Towns of Nevada County, both in the popular “Images of America” series. A native Californian, she has lived in Nevada County for more than 30 years. Maria Brower is a professional genealogist, and she has written extensively on genealogy and Northern California history.