#16 Public Hall, City, Vendome / Capitol Hotel

Services and history

#16 – Pardi Market/Mitchell’s Grocery Store/Capitol Hotel/City Hotel – A Street & First Street (355)

This information was collected from the Sanborn maps and Dixon Tribune articles. This list of businesses is in order of when they were built.

City Hotel Proprietor – Ernest Hahn

Severely scorched, blistered and smoke damaged in the 1883 fire. The City Hotel remained standing despite the fire demolishing buildings surrounding around.

Vendome Hotel Proprietor - Mrs. H C Morris

Built in 1876 and shortly burned to the ground from a kitchen fire. Vendome hotel was a first-class, up to date hostelry. The Hotel Vendome was one of the best hotels in Northern California. The hotel building featured three stories and contained 185 rooms. The first floor contained a commodious office, bar room, dining room, sample room, barber shop, and offices. The second floor contained a spacious parlor, bathrooms, and many rooms; single rooms and suites. The third floor was devoted entirely to bedrooms. All the rooms were well furnished, light, and airy. April 1898, arson attempted to burn down the hotel. This was the second incendiary fire within a few weeks according to an article in the Dixon Tribune.

Capitol Hotel Owned by William “Bill” T Dawson

Built in the late 1890’s and burned down on August 17, 1920. The Capitol Hotel was a splendid example of fine wood frame construction at that time. There were three Dawson brothers, Bill, Ben, and Joe that settled in Dixon around 1911 and ran successful businesses. 1920 Census Parlor Proprietor with siblings employed at Capitol Hotel. Bill Dawson owned it, and he leased it to his two brothers John and Ben.

Beldon Shell Station Owned by John Beldon

Built on the corner southeast corner of First and A Street because the property was damaged by the 1920 fire.

Lewis/Francis “Tige” Shell Station – 1932 -1977 Owned by Tige Thomsen

This station was the second Shell Gas station operated in the Pardi Plaza. Demolished in 1970’s.

Mitchell’s Grocery Store Owned by Jacoby Company

This market was noted as a failure in the Dixon Tribune.

Pardi Market Owned by George Pardi

Owned by John Fong

Demolished in early 1990’s.

Pardi plaza

1871 1st name of City Hotel was Charles Buneman (was in 1871 Solano and Napa Counties Directory) I believe he builds it.

01/01/1874

G.R. MINER, NOTARY PUBLIC & FIRE INS. AGENT - Office at Public Hall, A & First

11/24/1874

G.R. MINER, NOTARY PUBLIC & FIRE INS, AGENT, Office at Public Hall, cor. A and First streets.

01/23/1875

G.R.MINER, NOTARY PUBLIC & FIRE INS. AGENT, Office at Public Hall, cur. A and First streets.

02/01/1875

--At the annual meeting of the Dixon Hook & Ladder Company [fire], held at Public Hall, Monday evening the following

officers were duly elected to serve for the current year: Herman Eppinger, Foreman; J.H. Worth, First Assistant Foreman;

W.A.Dashiell, Secretary; A. Kirby, Treasurer; and E. Weihe, J.P.Kirsch and Peter Smythe, Trustees. Owen O'Neil was

admitted to membership.

05/01/1875

---Fireman's meeting, Wednesday evening, at Public Hall. Every member and citizen interested in having a fire engine for

Dixon, ought to attend.

09/01/1875

Thanksgiving Ball - We understand that the Frahm Bro's of the City Hotel, propose giving a Grand Ball at Public Hall, on or

about Thanksgiving night.

01/01/1876

1876/01/01

*Jan. - 1876

FIRE COMPANY. Our Fire Company held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday night, when they elected the

following officers for the coming term: Foreman, H.Eppinger; Asst. Foreman, John Davenport; Secretary and Treasurer, A.

Kirby; Trustees, P.Smythe, Ed.Weihe and V.J.Hohmann. Chief Engineer Geo. Frahm has appointed A. 'Kirby as Asst.

Engineer, and has detailed the following members as his corps on the Babcock Engine: Wm. Straub, Chas. Schirmer,

McCann, T.B.Barnes, G. Cadman, V.J.Honmann and William Vansant.

The Chief Engineer has expressed his determination to put his men through a good drill, so that in case of fire the engine

may accomplish something, for that purpose of drilling he has ordered his squad to appear at the Engine House, Tuesday

evening next, at 7 o'clock for drill. On motion of the Chief Engineer the company has resolved to give five dollars to the

party that will be the first one at the Engine House with a span of horses, ready harnessed to take the Engine to the fire and

back again. This is certainly a very good idea as our streets are at present in a very bad condition.

THE COLLEGE QUESTION REVIVED. It will be seen by reference to our pages to-day, that a call, for a meeting to be held

at Public Hall, Jan. 25, signed by many of our prominent and public spirited citizens, to consider the feasibility and

importance of building a College in Dixon. It is proposed we understand, to erect a $12,000 edifice, but whether the school

is to be sectarian or otherwise, will be left open for the present.

We have heretofore urged the importance of high school facilities in Dixon, and it needs no argument to show that it is one

of the great wants of our town.

02/01/1876

THE NEXT BALL.--Mrs. Peterson, the popular hostess of the Palace. Restaurant, Johnson's block, will give her first Grand

Ball at Public Hall, Tuesday evening, March 7th

09/01/1876

DEDICATION: Of the new German Lutheran Church, Wednesday, Sept. 6th. Pastor Muhesteph, of San Francisco, will

officiate on this occasiion. Rev. J.L.Blitch has kindly consented to address the assemblage in English. After the

ceremonies, lunch will be given by the ladies of the society for the benefit of the Church, at the Public Hall.

09/22/1876

1876/09/22

Mysterious affair. A Man Stabbed and His Wife Dangerously Wounded with a Pistol Bullet --Who were the Perpetrators!

A shooting and stabbing affray occurred in Dixon Saturday night which is surrounded with circumstances that render it

more or less a mystery. So far as the facts have been discovered they are as follows: About 2 A.M. Night Watchman Allen,

who was standing in front of Benton & Myers' saloon, heard a crash and saw in the dim light a man come running up A

street by the City hotel. Allen ran across the street and calling on the man to stop, turned the light of a lantern in his face.

Thereupon, a Chinaman as he was now seen to be, turned and ran down the street, but was chased by the watchman, who

fired one shot and finally caught him near the German Lutheran church. He was taken to the calaboose. and the

watchman, accompanied by one or two citizens proceeded to a house on A street where the disturbance had been heard.

This house is occupied by a woman named Sterne, of bad repute, whos husband was sent to jail something over a year

ago for a term of two hundred and ninety-nine days. The shattered glass and sash showed that the noise had been made

by some person jumping through the window from the inside. The door was locked and admission was refused to the

officer until he threatened to smash his way in. On entering a rather startling sight was presented, The room looked like a

slaughter house, and the woman Sterne was covered with blood, which she was trying to wash off in a tub of water.

Examination showed that she had been wounded in the breast by a pistol bullet and had bled profusely. After a few

minutes a man was discovered hiding under the bed, and on being compelled to emerge, was found to be her husband,

Sterne himself, who was not generally known to be in town. He was likewise wounded - stabbed - in the arm.

To the first questions asked by the citizens present the wounded couple replied that the shooting and stabbing had been

done by a couple of Chinamen, or rather by one of two who knocked at the door and were admitted. As soon as they

entered, the one who was armed with a pistol began shooting at the woman, who was only a foot or two distant. She ran

into the second room, back of the first, and the Chinaman followed. The husband sprang out of bed and grappled with the

Chinaman, wresting his revolver away from him, when he drew a knife and struck Sterne a blow on the arm. Both

Chinamen then escaped by running into the front room and jumping through the window. The door by which they entered

had been fastened by the woman when they came in. The motive of the Chinamen the couple profess to believe was

robbery, and their assault was made in the belief that the woman was alone.

But from a number of suspicious circumstances, the majority of those present at once made up their minds that this was

not the true explanation of the affair. The most important fact of all was that the blood on the floor of the two rooms, on the

wounds of the man and woman and other objects was partially dry. Dr. Gordon, examined these evidences and at once

declared the shooting and cutting must have been done two hours before. In the middle room, where most of the struggle

had taken place, they had washed the floor before the party of citizens got to the house and it was partially dry. These

remarkable facts taken in connection with the resistance offered to the entrance of the citizens and the hiding of the man,

seemed to throw the suspicion off the Chinamen and point to a private quarrel between Stern and wife.

Called Tung by his countrymen, upon being questioned, stated that he and another Chinaman named Jim went into the

woman Sterne's house and stayed there two hours before the shooting took place. They were sitting in the dark, and

apparently without any preliminary row somebody began very suddenly to shoot in the dark.

Thereupon Tung and companion got out of that as quickly as circumstances would permit. Sterne and wife agree in saying

this Chinaman (Tung) took no part in the assault.

What became of the other Chinaman who was undoubtedly in the house is not definitely known; but Mr. Patterson, of the

Palace hotel, who was awakened by the crash when the two jumped through the window and rushed to his own window,

states that he say a person run around the corner by Public hall and down past the Baptist church.

1877/09/01

---The first lamp post in town has been erected in front of the City Hotel.

Published in the Tribune edition of 1878/03/16 (Saturday)

Workingmen Organized.

-----

A meeting was held at Public hall last Saturday evening to organize a

workingmen's club. W.H. Northcutt was called to the chair and made a speech

wherein he illustrated the attitude of the political parties by the story of the

colored preacher and the two roads that led, respectively, to "hell and to

damnation." [These remarks, if endorsed by the other members of the Club, must

be taken as finally severing their connection with the Republican and Democratic

organizations.] Wm. Vansant was elected Secretary. A roll of membership was

opened and signed by about fifty persons. S.S. Benton, Cicero King and W.

Vansant were appointed to draw up a series of resolutions and the club

adjourned for one week.

Since the meeting several more have signed the club roll. We are informed

that the club is organized as a branch of the National Workingmen's Association

and not of the Kearney movement.

1878/04/13/27

ELECTION NOTICE. ---- An Act entitled an Act to Incorporate the Town of Dixon, approved [Saturday] March 30th, 1878.

[The body of the article is a reprint of the Act to Incorporate the Town of Dixon with the Governor’s signature followed by

The notice of election by the County Judge of Solano County. This notice of election follows:]

In pursuance of the provisions of the foregoing Act, I Jno. M. Gregory, County Judge of Solano county, do hereby

give notice that an election will be held in the town of Dixon on Monday the 27th day of May, 1878; the polls for said

election to be opened at one hour after sunrise and to be kept open until sunset of the said day; the qualifications of voters

to be such as are prescribed in the Act hereinbefore set forth, and such qualified voters are to vote for and elect the

following officers, to-wit:

1.Trustee.

2.Trustee

3.Trustee

4.Trustee

5.Trustee

6.Treasurer

7.Assessor

8.Collector

9.Marshal

Said qualified voters will also vote on the question: “Shall the Town of Dixon be incorporated?”

The polling lace for said election will be at “the Public Hall,” and the officers of election shall be: E.E. Leake, Inspector; W.

R. Ferguson, Judge; A. Hochheimer, Judge.

Said order to be published for four weeks in the Dixon Tribune, a newspaper published in said Town.

Given under my hand, this 25th day of April, 1878. JNO. M. GREGORY, County Judge of Solano County.

Article from the Dixon Historical Society

Author: Hayward S. Melville

Word Count: 446

INCORPORATION AND SANITATION IN DIXON

The Town of Dixon was incorporated in a "Charter" election held at the Dixon Public Hall on Monday, May 27th, 1878.

However, leading up to the election there were major skirmishes between those for and against Incorporating the Town

with the election outcome being less than certain.

1879/09/01

SEPT. 1879. --BOARD OF TRUSTEES:

Board met in regular session. Present - Hinman, Vansant, Frahm, Davenport and Smythe.

Minutes of last meeting read and approved. Marshal reports licenses collected for present quarter, $224; town taxes

collected, $443.15. Above report accepted. Marshal's bill of $40.12 on account of licenses and taxes collected, ordered

paid by warrant on Treasurer.

Treasurer Frahm paid over the funds in his hands belonging to the town, and offered his resignation, which was accepted.

Mr. Frahm then offered his resignation as member of the Board of Trustees, which was not accepted. Joel Davenport was

elected Treasurer to succeed Frahm.

The Palace hotel in Dixon is offered for rent. It is a fine brick building of twenty-one rooms.

Ten mules, harness and wagons, belonging to Mrs. Susan Silvey, will be sold at auction on the 27th. Having sold part of

her ranch to Mr. Schroeder, Mrs. Silvey desires to reduce her stock correspondingly.

Peter Timm and W.S. Hinman are now the owners of the Dixon cannon, the former having bought a half interest for $5.25

at the late auction. Originally the piece cost $150.

If Grant passes through Dixon on his way to Sacramento, it is the intention to fire a salute in his honor.

01/01/1880

Peter Timm, who owns the Public hall lot, will move another building upon it, placing it in front of the ???? and alongside of Wagner's barber shop.

1880/03/01

March

J.S.Mayes has bought Wahsington Park, which was owned by the Bank. It is reported Mr. Mayes intends to tear down the

pavilion the coming Fall; but we hope he will not do so. It may be he has suffered some annoyance on a few occasions

from having such a place of amusement so near his house;

It was found that enough funds could not be raised to purchase the White property for the fire company, and the move has been dropped. Arrangements will probably be made with Peter Timm to use a part of Public hall for housing the apparatus of the company.

1880/04/01

April 1880 -- Old Public hall will soon be no more a hall. Mr. Timm is going to cut it up by three transverse partitions. The

division next to Wagner's shop will be rented to the Fire Company; Peter Williams will rent another part for a paint shop, and the marble worker mentioned last week will also have room for a shop.

(last week) A stone-cutter named Fiskuss has rented a part of Public hall.

1880/04/01

April -- Old Public hall, will soon be no more--a hall. Mr. Timm is going to cut it up by three transverse partitions. The

division next to Wagners shop will be rented to the Fire Company; Peter Williams will rent another part for a paint shop, and

the marble worker mentioned last week will also have room for a shop.

A 45 foot well has been bored on the west side of Public hall. The well at Ferguson's corner, only a few yards away, had to be bored 65 feet before a satisfactory supply of water was reached.

1883/02/01

Feb. 1883

--Peter Timm has a force of men at work moving the building formerly occupied by the Tribune, to the lot southeast of the Palace hotel. Mr. Hall intends re-modeling and placing it in shape to be rented.

--Dr. G.H. Evans has removed his office to the South-west corner rooms, lower floor, of the Palace hotel.

--Mrs. Brazil of Elmira, who was so seriously injured last week by two colts jumping on her, died Thursday morning.

--Mr. S. McBride has on his farm near Silveyville, two hundred vines of the Mission variety. They were planted in the Spring

of 1854, and are now apparently as vigorous and thrifty as ever--indeed, the crop of last year is the largest they have ever

borne.

--William Hemphill will shortly begin the erection of a blacksmith shop on the vacant lot north of the Brewery.

--Richard Hall has purchased of Peter Timm the corner lot west of the City Hotel, together with the building situated thereon. The purchase price was $2,500

California State Gazetteer and Business Directory of 1890 states Marcus Bradshaw prop of City Hotel

06/01/1893

--E. Fink is having the old building back of his hotel torn down. This building was known as the Public Hall and during the early days of the town was the scene of many a social gathering. The old-timers witness its destruction with sighs of regret for the good old times.

Obit. Mrs. Carrie Fritz.(Hyde) June 30, 1893 July

Mrs. Mary Ferguson has rented the Snead house on A street and will continue to take boarders as heretofore. This will be welcome news to the many patrons of the boarding-house.

07/01/1893

--Jos. Pareri has purchased of Peter Timm seven acres lying directly north of the public school. The land is exceedingly valuable and is adapted to fruit or vegetable culture.

--Jos. Pareri has purchased the building on the corner of A and Main streets, owned and occupied by E. Fink as a saloon and office in connection with the City Hotel, and will move the same to the land he recently purchased of Peter Timm and will occupy it as a residence when it is remodeled.

1/1/1896

1896/01/01

1896 - Advertisments:

HOTEL VENDOME, Mrs. H.A. Morris, Prop. The Best Furnished Hotel in Dixon. Two Dining-rooms. First class Bar in Connection with Hotel.

---Mrs. H.A. Morris is having a large building formerly used as sleeping quarters in connection with the City Hotel, moved to a position facing Main street. It will be used as a hall and rented for dancing parties, etc.

ARCH C. HOLLY, ATTORNEY-at-LAW, Office in Vendome Block, Dixon

1898/09/16

Sept. 16; ---The Vendome Hotel is to no longer be known by that name, but will here-after bear the name

of Hotel Schley.

1898/09/16

Sept. 16; ---The Vendome Hotel is to no longer be known by that name, but will here-after bear the name

of Hotel Schley.

---One of the accessions of Hotel Schley under its new management is a carriage that meets all trains for the convenience of patrons of the house.

03/01/1899

---The Capitol Hotel is now lighted with electric lights throughout. Manager Osborn has just finished installing forty lights in

the building and the service is said to be decidedly more satisfactory than the system of gas lighting, which has been in

operation in the house for some time past. A meter which measures the current used, fixes the price and the hotel pays

only for what they get and the light company gets pay for all the current furnished. Mr. Osborn has been engaged of late in

cutting out all ground circuits in town and exchanging the wood cleats, used for fastening up the wires indoors, for porcelain

insulators and the lights are perceptibly improved as a result.

4/1/1899

THE CAPITOL HOTEL. Mrs. L.B.Jelmini, Prop. A New and First class Hotel - Centrally Located. Brick building, Good Rooms and Beds. and the Best Board in town. A first-class bar in connection with the hotel.

1900/02/01

Feb.

---Peter Timm disposed of his moving apparatus last week to a gentleman from College City. The outfit has been used by Mr. Timm for a great many years and has moved many buildings in this and other sections of the county.

CAPITOL HOTEL CHANGES HOSTS. The Capitol Hotel has changed hands again. A deal was

consummated this week whereby Geo. E. Ehmann and wife became the proprietors of the hotel property.

The transaction came about in the nature of a trade, the interest of Geo. E. Ehmann and wife in the

Brinckerhoff and Ehmann building, two tenement houses on B street and one on A street beige

transferred to B.C. Williams for the hotel. Mr. Ehmann will take possession of the property at an early

date. The hostelry will be repainted and changes and improvements made which are intended to make it

Source Dixon Tribune

up-to-date in every particular. Mr. Ehmann and his wife have had considerable experience with the line of

business and will in all probability make a success of the venture. Mr. Ehmann is a man who believes in

giving his place of residence the benefit of his experience and means and as he is to conduct the hotel

under his personal supervision we believe that his influence in the position will be felt. B.C. Williams has

greatly increased the patronage of the place since he took charge of it and deserves much credit for the

energy and enterprise displayed.

1900/10/01

Oct.

---Coleman Brothers have leased their farm a few miles west of here to Chinese gardeners and fruit

growers for a term of years. N.B.S. Coleman has removed with his family to Vacaville where he is

engaged as a clerk in L.H. Peterson's grocery store.

Source Dixon

HOTEL CHANGED HANDS. A deal was consummated this week whereby the ownership of the Capitol

Hotel was transferred from Geo. E. Ehmann and wife to A.C. Hazelton. The transfer does not imply that

Mr. Hazelton will become a host, but will lease the property for hotel purposes as formerly. Geo. Ehmann

has leased a portion of Chas. Schirmer's place in the foothills west of here and will engage in the chicken

business on an extensive scale.

1902/07/01

- July:

SAVED HOME BY MISTAKE. Solano County Records Reveal Property in the Name of Mrs. Geo. Ehmann. It

is not often that the mortgage octopus overlooks anything intended for its all-observing appetite, but Mr.

and Mrs. Geo. E. Ehmann are at present rejoicing over some one's error whereby they still own property

in Dixon which they supposed has passed out of their hands. Several years ago when the Ehmann

property was transferred to B.C. Williams in exchange for the Capitol Hotel, a house and lot on B street

adjoining the property of Mrs. May Newman, was inadvertently omitted from the mortgage.

Financial reverses caused Mr. and Mrs. Ehmann to lose the hotel and they supposed all was gone. They

recently discovered that they still had a title to the house and lot on B street and will remove to town

from their country residence on the Chas. Schirmer place during the coming week. Mrs. Mary Ferguson

having discontinued her boarding house Mrs. Ehmann intends opening one to take its place as soon as

she can get to town and get settled in her own home.

06/01/1908

---T.C. Horigan is moving the old ice house that has stood back of the Capitol Hotel for so many years to the driving park.

where he will convert it into a chicken house. The house was built by Peter Timm many years ago, for Peter Peters, when

he conducted the first butcher shop in town in the wooden annex to the hotel, and had done long and faithful service.

6/15/1878

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-----Forth of July Celebration

A meeting of citizens was held at Public Hall Monday evening to consider the proper

steps for observance of the Fourth of July. Charles Schirmer presided; and the Cornet band was

present. On motion of Frahm, it was voted to appoint an Executive Committee of three with

power to appoint subcommittees and make all other arrangements. George Frahm, M. C. True,

and George King were appointed such a committee. S. S. Benton was elected Grand Marshall.

The meeting then adjourned for one week, when the Executive Committee will make a report.

The Executive Committee have held several meetings and appointed the following subcommittees:

Committee on Printing, George Frahm, and C. H. McMaster. On Subscription, A.

Kirby, P. Willot, F Newby, H. Koeler. On Car of Liberty, this E. S. Martin, Mrs. Biggs, Mrs. Benton,

Mrs. Leakey, John Davenport. On Vocal and Instrumental Music, this Evans, Miss Martin, this B.

Silvey, W. B. Davis, E. E. Leake. On invitation, H. Eppinger, V. J. Hollman , A. Hoichheimer, J. H.

Worth, John Patterson, E. E. Leake, Charles Schirmer and Peter Timm were appointed aides to

the Grand Marshall. Hon. John M. Coghlan was the choice of the Committee for orator, provided

he will accept.

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-----Not Yet a City