National Hotel
After the town fire of August 2, 1854, the two-story National Hotel was rebuilt on the original lot. For many of the stages entering town the hotel was the first stop. When it was at it’s grandest the rectangular main structure of the National Hotel contained 3,120 square feet and when additions were placed on each end the final 5,808 square foot hotel may have been the largest building in Bidwell. The hotel was located near the south east corner and across from the approximately 150 foot square plaza area. The Skinkle and Lamp Saloon was strategically located diagonally across the street from the hotel on the flat below the courthouse.
Owners / Proprietor's of the National Hotel
1848 – 1851: It’s unknown when the hotel was built or the first owner.
1852: Hariam W. Mitchell is identified as Owner /Proprietor
1852-1853: John F. Thompson acquires hotel from Mitchell
1853 -1854: John F. Thompson & C. A. Bancroft own/operate the hotel.
1854: After the town fire the rebuilt hotel was operated by C. A Bancroft and G. M. Burrows. Thompson retained a one-third interest.
1855: C. A. Bancroft acquires full ownership of the National Hotel.
1856: Bancroft files for bankruptcy, assets sold at Sheriff Sale.
1857: J. L Tarr announced the reopening of the National Hotel.
1859: National Hotel building probably destroyed in a June town fire.
1859: In December George Fitzgerald, owner of the Union House, purchased the lot where the National Hotel had been located.
The examples below are from the National Hotel ledger. It served as a boarding house for many of the merchants and county officers when the town of Bidwell was the County Seat of Butte County between 1853 -1856. Services were available for both the individuals and their horses.
Starting in 1855, a relocation of mining activity to the area around Ophir (Oroville) resulted in a decline in business activity at the town of Bidwell. Many businesses relocated to the new center of mining development. The relocation of the County Seat to Oroville in 1856 drastically reduced the number of merchants and county workers who boarded at the National Hotel. The owner, C. A. Bancroft, filed for bankruptcy and the property and assets were sold by the Sheriff .
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Weekly Butte Record May 24, 1856
Closed Up —The Sheriff was busily at work on Thursday, in the National Hotel, with closed doors. We have not learned the particulars, but presume that some creditor has come down upon the proprietor in an action for debt.
Oroville Daily Butte Record July 14, 1856
Legal Notices
Assignee’s Sale
By virtue of authority in me vested as Assignee in the matter of C. A. Bancroft vs. his creditors, a petitioner in insolvency in the Honorable County Court of Butte County and State of California, said in pursuance of an order made by said court on the 23 day of June A. D. 1856, providing for the sale of the assets cause, I will on the 28 day of July, A. D. 1856, at 10 o’clock A. M. offer to sell for cash, all of the right, title and interest of the said petitioner, C. A. Bancroft, in and to the following real property. To Wit: All that certain piece or parcel of land located in the town of Bidwell, and located in Block number three (3) of the map of said town of Bidwell, filed in the County Recorders office of said county and described as follows, To wit: commencing at the northwest corner of the lot belonging to Joseph Gluckauf on Newcomb Street, running thence due north eighty-six(86) feet on said Newcomb Street , thence due east fifty (50) feet , Thence due south twenty-four (24) feet, thence due east eleven (11) feet, thence due south forty-five (45) feet, thence due east forty-five feet (45) to Charles Street thence due south on St. Charles Street eleven (11) feet , thence due west one hundred and 15 feet to the place of beginning. Upon said lot is situated the house known as the National Hotel. It’s dimensions is sixty-five (65) feet front on Newcomb Street by twenty-four in width, and a wing on the north east end twenty-six (26) feet by twenty-four (24) feet, and on the south-east end a wing twenty four (24) feet by thirty(30) feet, all of which is two stories high together with all and singular appendances thereto belonging of in any wise appending.
Also, all that certain piece or parcel of land located on Union Street in block one (1), lot fourteen (14) as follows. To wit: Beginning at the northeast corner of lot thirteen (13) running thence due west on Union Street twenty-five (25) feet, thence due south seventy (70) feet, thence due east twenty-five (25) feet, thence due north seventy (70) feet to the point of beginning. Together with the Barn, twenty- five (25) feet by thirty(30) feet in size situated on said lot and appendatures thereto belonging.
The sale will be held at the National Hotel, above described. Dated this 23th day of June, A. D. 1856.
Also the following accounts of (W. S. Safford for the sum of fifty dollars ($50) dollars.
Dated this 12th day of July, A. D. 1856.
P. Freer, Sheriff Butte County and Assignee.
Note: The Legal Notice contained an extensive list of unpaid bills by guests (see list below). The legal notice also included an inventory of furnishing in the Hotel.
A difficult to read copy of the October 5, 1857, request by P. H. Harris, to record the sale of the C. A. Bancroft assets is recorded on pages 249-250 of the official Butte County Records. Over a year previously the Sheriff had made final the public sale of the assets of C. A. Bancroft.
"This indenture, made this Sixteenth of August A. D. 1856, between Peter Freer, Sheriff of Butte County California, and assignee in the matter of C.A. Bancroft as his creditors in the County Court in and for said County, of the first part and P, H. Harris of said county and state, party of the second part."
P. H. Harris bid of seventy-five dollars was the highest amount at the public auction. Records have not been located detailing the total amount of debt or the creditors involved in the Bancroft case