Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon facts for kids
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Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon
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Heinold’s First and Last Chance in 2007.
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 Location in Oakland, California
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 48 Webster St, Oakland, California |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1880 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Western false front |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001067 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 1, 2000 |
Heinold's First and Last Chance is a very old and famous bar located right on Jack London Square in Oakland, California. It first opened its doors in 1883. This special place is known for its long history and its strong connection to a famous writer, Jack London. People even call it "Jack London's Rendezvous" because it inspired parts of his adventure novels, like Call of the Wild and The Sea Wolf.
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A Historic Start: Heinold's Saloon's Beginnings
The building that houses Heinold's today is very old. It was first built in 1880 using parts from an old whaling ship! It stands at the foot of Webster Street in Oakland, just as it did back then.
Originally, this building was a place for workers from nearby oyster beds to sleep. It was used as a bunkhouse for almost three years. In 1883, a man named Johnny Heinold bought it for just $100.
With the help of a ship carpenter, Johnny turned the bunkhouse into a pub. He named it J.M. Heinold's Saloon. The pub's location was perfect. It was close to the ferry that traveled between Oakland and Alameda. This made it a popular spot for sailors arriving or leaving the Oakland port on long voyages.
Sailors would often say it was their "first chance" for a drink when they arrived. It was also their "last chance" before they left on a long trip. This popular nickname stuck, and the pub was officially renamed Heinold's First and Last Chance.
Jack London's Special Spot: The Author's Rendezvous
The famous Oakland author, Jack London, spent a lot of time at Heinold's. After traveling and working at sea, London returned home to finish high school. As a schoolboy, he would study at the bar's tables, which are still there today.
When he was 17, Jack London told Johnny Heinold that he wanted to go to college and become a writer. Johnny Heinold kindly lent London the money he needed for tuition. Jack then enrolled at the nearby University of California, Berkeley.
Even though London only completed his first year of college, Heinold's pub was very important to him. It was here that he met many sailors and adventurers. These people and their stories greatly influenced his writing.
Jack London spent many evenings at Heinold's, gathering ideas for his future books. In his book John Barleycorn, which was about his own life, he mentioned the pub seventeen times. It was also at Heinold's that London met Alexander McLean. McLean was a sea captain known for being very strict. He became the inspiration for Wolf Larsen, a main character in London's novel The Sea-Wolf.
Because of its strong connection to the author, the bar earned the nickname Jack London's Rendezvous in more recent years. A sign with this title was even added to the original roof.
Heinold's Today: A Glimpse into the Past
John Heinold ran the bar until 1939. Then, his son George took over and managed it until 1969. After George, his wife Margaret continued the family tradition, running the bar until 1984. Today, Carol Brookman is the owner.
Heinold's is special because it's the last business in California that still uses its original gas lighting. The tables, which are said to have come from a whaling ship, and other furniture are from the time when Johnny Heinold first opened the pub.
The walls and ceilings are covered with interesting items. You can see business cards, hats left by past visitors, and money. Sailors often signed money before they left on trips, so they would have a drink waiting for them when they returned.
The bar still has the original potbellied stove. This stove has been the only source of heat for the room since 1889. You can also see boxing gloves that belonged to famous boxers Bob Fitzsimmon and Jim Jeffries. John Heinold's hat is still hanging where he left it. The original bar glassware and the beautiful mahogany bar are still used today.
One of the most noticeable things about the pub is its very slanted floor. This uneven ground was created in 1906 during the huge San Francisco earthquake. Part of the wooden piles that the pub is built on, in the swampy ground, sank during the quake. In one corner of Heinold's, there is a clock that stopped at 5:18, the exact moment the 1906 earthquake hit.
Some people even say that Heinold's First and Last Chance is haunted! The current owner, Carol Brookman, and other employees have reported hearing footsteps and finding doors left open by themselves.
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The slanted floor of the bar after the 1906 earthquake.
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The slanted bar inside.
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Heinold's in June 1960.
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A beer sign outside the bar.
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Inside of Heinold's in 2009.
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The ceiling of Heinold's in 2009, covered with items.
A Recognized Landmark: Heinold's Historical Status
On January 12, 1998, a group called Friends of Libraries U.S.A. added Heinold's to the Literary Landmarks Register. They placed a special plaque outside the pub.
The plaque says:
Literary Landmarks Register designates Heinold's First and Last Chance as a National Literary Landmark. Befriended by Johnny Heinold at this original site, Jack London met many seafaring and waterfront characters which he later immortalized in his adventure novels. Heinold's is referred to several times in his book John Barleycorn.
Later, on September 1, 2000, the United States Federal Government officially listed Heinold's First and Last Chance on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as a very important historical site.
