Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous architect, called The
Claremont, "... one of the few hotels in the world with
warmth, character and charm." The Claremont charmed
thousands of others just as it charmed the famous Mr. Wright.
Before the hotel, a castle
The history of The Claremont Resort dates back to the early days
of the Gold Rush, when a Kansas farmer by the name of Bill
Thornburg struck it rich. He came to California with his daughter
and his wife, who dreamed of a home which would look like an
English CaŁtle. Thornburg purchased 13,000 acres (part ofthe old
Peralta and Vicente Spanish Ranch grants) to fulfill his wife's
dream and built the castle and several stable which housed
pedigreed hunters and jumpers. He hired Cockney grooms to care
for them, and raised English foxes for hunting parties.
After Thornburg's daughter married a British Lord and went to
England, Mrs. Thornburg died and he sold the "castle"
to a family by the name of Ballard. On the dry and windy day of
July 14, 1901, the castle burned to the ground. Only the livery
stables, barn, and some of the costly furnishings survived the
fire.
Won in a game of checkers
The property then fell into the hands of Frank Havens and
"Borax" Smith, a famous miner. They planned to erect a
resort hotel on the property with trains running directly into
the lobby. Unfortunately, these plans were abandoned. One night
Havens, Smith and John Spring, a Berkeley capitalist, played a
game of checkers in the old Athenian Club of Oakland with the
stakes being the property, and Havens won.
He began building in 1906, but the panic of that year
interrupted construction. Afrer trying again in 1910, Havens lost
heart, and in 1914 allied himself with Eric Lindblom, who had
struck it rich in the KIondike. The sprawling Mediterranean
hostelry was completed in 1915, in time for the Panama-Pacific
Exposition. In 1918, Lindbolm took complete control of The
Claremont until he sold it in 1937 to Mr. and Mrs. Claude Gillum,
who virtually rebuilt it from the foundation up, and completely
refurbished the interior. Mr. Gillum had started as Chief Clerk
in 1926 at The Claremont. He was appointed Manager in 1929, and
saved enough to purchase the property for the sum of $250,000.
Free drinks for life
A state law, which radically changed the design of The Claremont,
prohibited the sale of alcohol within a one-mile radius of the
University of California. The hotel itself is constructed on the
borderline between Berkeley and Oakland and was assumed to be
within the one-mile radius, thus not allowed to serve liquor. In
1936, The Claremont was one of the very few hotels which did not
have a bar. This whole situation reversed itself when a female
student at the University began to investigate for herself if the
building was indeed within the one-mile radius. She and her
friends measured the shortest route from the U.C. campus to the
front steps. The result of their efforts found that The Claremont
was a few feet over the one-mile radius, which meant that a bar
could be opened (now called the Terrace Bar!) The woman
responsible for these findings was given free drinks at The
Claremont for the rest of her life.
Born of romanticism
The grounds and natural settings gave The Claremont a picturesque
quality found during the Age of Romanncisrn. At one time, the
entire second floor was flanked by a large porch on which
visitors would sit and take walks, admiring the surroundings.
This was the day when lawn sports such as tennis, badminton and
croquet gained their popularity, and when The Claremont built its
first tennis courts and pool. Years later, when the porch lost
its popularity and the resort needed more space, the porch was
enclosed and turned into the offices and dining rooms. At about
this time, ( 1940) The Claremont was painted entirely white, the
roof was fire-proofed, and the shingles were turned a
whitish-silver color.
In 1954, Mr. Harold J. Schnitzer of Harsch Investment
Corporation bought The Claremont property and leased it to Mr.
Murray Lehr. During this period, The Claremont became a popular
site for conventions that were held in the Bay Area. In 1959, The
Claremont had more convention and exhibit space than any hotel
west of Chicago and, thus, was the largest convention resort in
the Bay Area.
The $24 million "new" Claremont
Harsch Investment Corporation took over active management in 1971
and in the years 1978 to 1981 made a massive infusion of capital:
$24 million for improvements! During this time, a Mediterranean
porch (doubling as an open air Wedding Chapel), a cocktail lounge
and a coffee shop were completed. New tennis courts were built
and the pool and tennis facilitates were completely remodeled
with a snack bar, lounge and pro shop. In addition, the grounds
were relandscaped with exotic flowers and greenery. All of the
guest rooms were refurbished with fresh paint, new carpets,
drapes and furniture. Air-conditioning systems were installed.
Included in the remodeling were all of the banquet rooms and our
"world-famous" Garden Room. Some will nostalgically
remember The Claremont's Garden Room "high atop the
hill" which hosted such famous bands as Russ Morgan,
Lawrence Welk and Dick Jurgens. Between 1988 and 1990, another
$15 million was spent to further enhance the property.
The Claremont Resort, with its spectacular view of the San
Francisco Bay, is a landmark of the Bay Area. A wondrous garden
of 22 beautifully landscaped acres surrounds The Claremont,
creating a total resott experience. The view of the bridges and
glimmering skyline of San Francisco are unequaled. The Claremont
is also the only resort of its kind in the Bay Area. The charming
air of intimacy and the gracious and attentive service one enjoys
here are trademarks of The Claremont. Large enough to offer every
convenience, yet not so large as to be impersonal, this
delightful East Bay setting is a sanctuary from the chaos of
daily business life. It's one of the Bay Areas most fashionable
addresses, and at the same time, convenient to both the San
Francisco financial district and the hub of East Bay business.
The Claremont Spa, a new era
In January of 1989, The Claremont added a $6 million amenity.
After years of research, the hotel added a true European-style
health, fitness and beauty spa. Professionals were recruited from
across the country and abroad, who today offer a broad spectrum
of services, treatments and training. This "urban spa"
Vogue magazine named one of the best in the U.S.A. - provides the
opportunity for men and women to integrate the rejuvenation and
relaxation of healthful living into their daily lifestyles.
Attractive, restful, immaculate. Its very atmosphere seems to
say, Relax...you're among friends." We welcome you to The
Claremont Resort, Spa and Tennis Club. We know you will enjoy
your stay.
| 