The Holbrooke Hotel is located in Grass Valley , California , USA. It is notable as the oldest hotel that has been in continuous operation in California's Mother Lode . The hotel was built in 1862 in mid-19th century Mother Lode masonry architectural style, and incorporated the Golden Gate Saloon which has been in continuous operation since 1852.
41-539: The original building, constructed in 1852 by Stephen and Clara Smith, was a saloon, the Golden Gate Saloon. The following year, a single-story annex, the Exchange Hotel, was added at the back of the saloon. The fire of 1855 burned down the saloon, but it was rebuilt with fieldstone and a brick facade. The Exchange Hotel was caught in a fire in 1862, after which it was renovated into a two-story structure. In 1879, it
82-415: A California Historical Landmark , #914, on March 18, 1978. Another historical marker was placed on the building on September 25, 1965, by E Clampus Vitus . James J. Corbett James John Corbett (September 1, 1866 – February 18, 1933) was an American professional boxer and a World Heavyweight Champion, best known as the only man who ever defeated John L. Sullivan (hence the " man who beat
123-448: A minstrel show in skits with Cornelius J. O'Brien . Corbett was married to Mary Olive Morris Higgins from 1886 until their divorce in 1895. He later married the actress Jessie Taylor, also known by her stage name, Vera. She survived Corbett by more than a quarter century. From 1903 until his death, Corbett lived at 221-04 Corbett Road in a three-story home in the Bayside neighborhood of
164-491: A bout to the powerfully built James J. Jeffries . Jeffries was another great boxer who would hold the championship of the world in the early 1900s. Jackson gained some fame during his stay in America. He stated his desire to play Othello , but it never came to fruition. However, he starred in a touring production of Uncle Tom's Cabin . Despite his celebrity, Jackson would run into financial troubles following his retirement from
205-424: A bout was largely a hit-and-miss proposition. Corbett treasured his title and viewed it as the ultimate promotional tool for his two main sources of income, theatrical performances and boxing exhibitions. In his only successful title defense on January 25, 1894, Corbett knocked out Charley Mitchell of Great Britain in three rounds. James Corbett also returned to his father's native Ballinrobe in 1894, and among
246-604: A contest between him and champion John L. Sullivan . Sullivan reluctantly agreed, and a fight date was set. Corbett went into rigorous training and was confident of his chances after he sparred with Sullivan in a short exhibition match on a San Francisco stage. On September 7, 1892, at the Olympic Club in New Orleans, Louisiana , Corbett won the World Heavyweight Championship by knocking out John L. Sullivan in
287-424: A fight against world champion John L. Sullivan to no avail. Sullivan cited the color bar as the reason for his refusal, claiming he would never fight a black man. Although there is no data to support that claim since Sullivan had on several occasions been scheduled to fight Black fighters such as "Old Chocolate", George Godfrey and a fighter named "Johnson" whose first name has been lost to history. The Godfrey bout
328-513: A mutiny. This garnered him some notoriety and brought him to the attention of Larry Foley which started his career in boxing. Jackson won the Australian heavyweight title in 1886 with a knockout of Tom Lees in the 30th round. Jackson was at one stage a pupil of "The Black Diamond" Jack Dowridge, a Barbadian immigrant who pioneered boxing in Queensland , Australia . Among Dowridge's other pupils
369-486: A pilgrimage to Jackson's grave, a measure of the respect in which the man was held not only in Queensland, but in the boxing community worldwide. Jackson's tomb is emblazoned with the words "This was a man". All information in this section is derived from BoxRec , unless otherwise stated. All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column. Record with
410-417: A real feud had existed between them for several years, due to Slavin's racism and a romantic triangle with a woman named Josie Leon. Although they had brawled before, this was the first and only professional bout between them. After a frenetic start to the fight, Jackson would gain the upper hand en route to a 10th-round knockout of Slavin. After a long hiatus in which he only took part in exhibitions, he lost
451-579: A title fight between the new champion and himself. Brady, liking Corbett and reflecting after a recent poor showing against Tom Sharkey that his old fighter had little left in the tank at age 34, agreed to the match, which was set for the Seaside Arena in Coney Island, New York . While Jeffries went through the motions in training, Corbett prepared like a Spartan for battle. He knew, with his speed, he could out-box his larger and stronger opponent, but he
SECTION 10
#1733094201285492-431: Is 19,400 square feet (1,800 m) in size. The interior includes copper clad walls, mahogany wood, Italian alabaster, and marble. It is furnished with globe chandeliers, green library lamps, and clawfoot bathtubs . The bar in the saloon was shipped around Cape Horn . The hotel was featured on a September 2013 episode of Hotel Impossible and an April 2016 episode of The Dead Files . The Nevada County hotel became
533-545: Is not related to fellow boxing Hall of Famer Young Corbett II . In 1892, the Spalding company, under their own publishing company Spalding Athletic Library, issued “Life and Battles of James J. Corbett”, Volume 1, Number 1. The book includes stories of Corbett's past opponents. The editor Richard K Fox refers to Corbett as the California Wonder and a professor (of boxing). In 1894, Corbett authored his autobiography under
574-824: The Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York . On its creation in 1990, he was elected posthumously to the International Boxing Hall of Fame . There is also a street named for him in Bayside, Queens where he resided from 1902-1933. Corbett's great-great-great-nephew, Dan Corbett, was a professional heavyweight boxer from San Antonio , Texas , who won the United States Boxing Federation and International Boxing Organization Intercontinental Heavyweight titles before retiring. James J. Corbett
615-466: The borough of Queens in New York City . In 1924, he had a friendly sparring match with the future champion Gene Tunney , an admirer of Corbett's scientific style. Tunney was amazed at the ability of Corbett to spar, even at the age of about 60, and claimed that Corbett had better defense than Benny Leonard . Corbett died of liver cancer on February 18, 1933, aged 66. His body was interred in
656-422: The " Father of Modern Boxing " for his scientific approach and technical innovations. On May 21, 1891, Corbett fought Peter "Black Prince" Jackson , a much-heralded bout between crosstown rivals, since they were both boxing instructors at San Francisco's two most prestigious athletic clubs. They fought to a no-contest after 61 rounds. The fight vaulted Corbett to national prominence and the public clamored for
697-410: The 20th round, Jeffries' corner was in a panic. Manager Brady dismissed trainer Tommy Ryan from the corner and took charge himself with the simple but direct order, "Knock him out or lose your title!" Corbett only had to stay upright for the last five rounds to be heavyweight champion once again. Jeffries stalked Corbett around the ring, looking for an opening. Corbett danced away from any threat through
738-408: The 21st round. Corbett's new scientific boxing technique enabled him to dodge Sullivan's rushing attacks and wear him down with jabs. Corbett did not prove to be a "Fighting Champion" in today's terms, meaning he defended the title very rarely. It was an era before boxing commissions, and regulation of the sport was minimal at best. Boxing was outlawed in most states, so arranging a time and place for
779-421: The 22nd round. Midway through the 23rd round, Corbett leaned back to avoid a blow from Jeffries, bounced off the ropes and was put on the canvas by a short right hand. He was counted out. Corbett found himself embraced by the public after this gallant effort. The adoration was short-lived, as his next fight, a five-round knockout over Kid McCoy , was widely believed to be a fix. Corbett managed to contest for
820-560: The California Athletic Club in San Francisco. He was considered one of the most "scientific" boxers of his day due to his footwork and technical proficiency. Jackson would once again embark on to strange lands after a year in America, leaving that country for Great Britain. Jackson fought for a 1,000 pounds and the inaugural British Commonwealth title against Jem Smith , winning due to the latter's use of wrestling tactics in
861-400: The champion slowing down. Fitzsimmons put Corbett down in the 14th round with a withering body blow to the solar plexus , and Corbett, despite his best efforts, could not regain his feet by the end of the ten-count. The fight, lasting over an hour and a half, was released to cinemas later that year as The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight , the longest film ever released at the time. Devastated by
SECTION 20
#1733094201285902-420: The daily boxing training routine and regimen, which was adopted by other boxers elsewhere and has survived to modern days almost intact. A "big-money fighter," Corbett was one of the first athletes whose showmanship in and out of the ring was just as good as his boxing abilities. He also arguably became the first modern sports sex symbol after the film of his championship prizefight against Robert Fitzsimmons
943-428: The heavyweight title one last time when he met Jeffries for a second match in San Francisco in 1903. Now 37, and with his reflexes slowing, Corbett survived a withering body blow in the second round and used every trick he knew to hang on until he was knocked out in the tenth. Following his retirement from boxing, Corbett returned to acting, appearing in low-budget films and giving talks about pugilism. He also performed
984-614: The highlights of his visit were the boxing demonstrations he gave in Ballinrobe Town Hall. The proceeds from the event's entrance fees were donated for the upkeep of the parish church in Ballyovey (now Partry), County Mayo , where his uncle, Rev. James Corbett, was then parish priest . He also donated a stained glass window to the church. He coached boxing at the Olympic Club in San Francisco . On September 7, 1894, he took part in
1025-588: The loss of his title, Corbett did everything he could to lure Fitzsimmons back into the ring. He was sure Fitzsimmons's victory was a fluke, believing he (Corbett) had over-trained, leaving him short on stamina in the later rounds. Perhaps Fitzsimmons felt the same way, for not even a $ 30,000 guaranteed purse posted by Corbett's manager, William A. Brady , could get Ruby Robert back into the ring with Gentleman Jim. It may also have been Fitzsimmons's intense personal dislike of Corbett, who had often publicly insulted him, which ruled out any chance of another fight. This set
1066-424: The man " concept of the championship boxing lineage). Despite a career spanning only 20 bouts, Corbett faced the best competition his era had to offer, squaring off with a total of nine fighters who would later be enshrined alongside him in the International Boxing Hall of Fame . Corbett introduced a scientific approach to boxing, in which technique and his innovative methods triumphed over brute force. He pioneered
1107-569: The production of one of the first recorded boxing events , a fight with Peter Courtney. It was filmed at the Black Maria studio at West Orange, New Jersey , and was produced by William K.L. Dickson . It was only the second boxing match to be recorded. in 1897 Corbett lost his Heavyweight Championship to the Cornish British boxer Bob "Ruby Robert" Fitzsimmons in Carson City, Nevada . Corbett
1148-452: The ring. Jackson's health rapidly decayed following his bout against Jeffries, making it impossible for him to box. Several benefits were held in order to send him back to Australia. Jackson died of tuberculosis in Roma, Queensland and was buried at Toowong Cemetery . A short time after becoming the first black heavyweight champion of the world in 1908, "The Galveston Giant" Jack Johnson , made
1189-528: The second round. Later that year, during a short stay in Dublin , Jackson challenged anyone to stay in the ring with him for 4 rounds. Local champion Peter Maher , who was 20 years old at the time, was the man who took up his bet. Jackson thoroughly beat him in 3 rounds. Maher would go on to have a successful career, winning over 100 bouts. During Jackson's later years there was talk of a rematch against Maher that never materialized. Jackson repeatedly tried to secure
1230-510: The stage for what most boxing experts and ring historians consider to be Corbett's finest fight. Refusing to face Corbett, Ruby Robert chose the hulking James J. Jeffries , a former sparring partner of Corbett's and a big heavyweight even by modern standards, for his title defense. Jeffries had learned much of his trade training with Corbett and was now handled by Corbett's old manager, William Brady. After Jeffries beat Fitzsimmons, Corbett, who had been sidelined during Fitzsimmons reign, suggested
1271-565: The title The Roar of the Crowd ; the story was serialized by The Saturday Evening Post in six weekly installments during October/November 1894. The following year, G.P. Putnam's Sons published it in book form, marketing it as the "True Tale of the Rise and Fall of a Champion." In 1942, the story was made into a Hollywood motion picture titled Gentleman Jim , starring Errol Flynn as Corbett. Thomas Edison wrote "I remember Jim Corbett very well, for he
Holbrooke Hotel - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-550: Was "Gentleman Jack" John Reid McGowan , a fellow Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee. After establishing his boxing career, and like many of Australia's best boxers of this era, Jackson left for America. He arrived in San Francisco on 12 May 1888. and promptly beat "Old Chocolate" Godfrey to gain the World Colored Heavyweight Championship . During his stay in America, Jackson frequently sparred with Lees. Jackson would become an instructor at
1353-418: Was a very important part of the first motion picture that we made for public exhibition. Yes, he can justly claim the distinction of being the oldest living film star, and I extend him my hearty congratulations," from a letter in 1930. Peter %22Black Prince%22 Jackson Peter Jackson (3 July 1861 – 13 July 1901) was an Australian heavyweight boxer who had a significant international career. Jackson
1394-454: Was a warehouseman and the grandson of a freed slave who had been owned by a planter with the surname of Jackson. Born a free man, Peter was in principle (at least) a Danish citizen before he gained Australian citizenship. Jackson had a good primary school education before becoming a mariner. Originally working on ships as a deckhand in the Sydney Docks since he was 14, he used his fists to quell
1435-427: Was aired worldwide, popularizing boxing immensely among the female audience. He did so in an era in which prizefighting was illegal in 21 states and was still considered among the most infamous crimes against morality. He also pursued a career in acting, both before and after his boxing career. He was a son of Patrick Corbett, who emigrated from Ballycusheen, Ballinrobe , County Mayo , Ireland in 1854. His mother
1476-518: Was broken up by police as both men were stripped and ready to fight. On 21 May 1891, in Benicia, California Jackson fought the future world champion James Corbett . The match with Corbett went 61 rounds before it was declared no contest, as both boxers were too exhausted to continue. Jackson's last defense of his Commonwealth title came against his long-time rival and fellow Australian Frank Slavin . Both Slavin and Jackson had trained under Larry Foley and
1517-425: Was dominant for most of the fight and knocked Fitzsimmons to the canvas in the sixth round. Fitzsimmons recovered and, though badly cut, rallied from that point on. When Mrs. Fitzsimmons called out, "Hit him in the slats, Bob!", where "slats" meant the abdominal area, her husband followed her advice. The body blows took their toll, and though Corbett continued to outbox his opponent masterfully, ringsiders could see
1558-432: Was giving up size, strength, almost 30 lb. in weight and a seven-year age difference. The key, he felt, was stamina and the ability to last the 25-round fight limit. The early rounds saw Corbett moving quickly while "Big Jeff" attempted body shots. However, Jeffries could not lay a glove on the "Dancing Master". Round after round, Corbett had his way, darting in to land punches, then dancing away to avoid retaliation. By
1599-757: Was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the inaugural 1990 class, as well as being the 2004 inductee for the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame in the Pioneers category. Jackson was born in Christiansted on the island Saint Croix , which was then the capital of the Danish West Indies (subsequently, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands ). His family originally came from Montego Bay , Jamaica . His father, also called Peter Jackson,
1640-562: Was named the Holbrooke Hotel after the owner, D. P. Holbrooke. The hotel continues to be privately owned. Several notable people stayed at the hotel including “Gentleman Jim” Corbett , Lotta Crabtree , Bob Fitzsimmons , Bret Harte , Jack London , Lola Montez , Emma Nevada , Mark Twain , and five US Presidents: Grover Cleveland , James Garfield , Ulysses S. Grant , Benjamin Harrison , and Herbert Hoover . The hotel has 28 rooms and
1681-424: Was of Scottish ancestry. James Corbett graduated from Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco, California and was rumored to have a college education. He pursued a career in acting, performing at a variety of theatres, before becoming a boxer. He was also a boxing trainer. His brother, Joe Corbett , would become a Major League Baseball pitcher . Dubbed Gentleman Jim Corbett by the media, he has been called