Hinds Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hinds Hotel
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Hinds Hotel in 2010
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 306 Bohemian Highway, Freestone, California, United States |
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| Built | 1876 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000557 |
| Added to NRHP | January 31, 1979 |
The Hinds Hotel (also known as the Freestone House, Freestone Hotel, Park House, and Wayside Inn) is a very old and important building in Freestone, California, in the United States. It was built way back in 1876! Over the years, it has been many things: a hotel, an antique shop, and even a plant nursery. Today, it's a private business and a home. This historic building is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. It has also been named a California Historical Landmark and a Sonoma County Historic Landmark.
Contents
History of the Hinds Hotel
Building for the Railroad
The Hinds Hotel has 32 rooms. It was built in August 1876 by a farmer named Hollis B. Hinds. He moved to Sonoma County in 1863. Mr. Hinds decided to build the hotel because the North Pacific Coast Railroad was coming to Freestone. Freestone was going to be the end of the line for the railroad.
Many carpenters working on the railroad line stayed at the hotel. There's a story that the person running the hotel tried to make the work last longer. They wanted the carpenters to stay at the hotel for more time. This caused some trouble and delays for the railroad project.
Changes Over Time
By 1910, the building was known as the Park House. In the 1930s, it changed its name again to the Wayside Inn. Around 1930, the railroad stopped running through Freestone. The train tracks were eventually taken away.
In the middle of the 20th century, the property became a plant nursery. In 1970, Tom Golden and Jim Kidder bought the building and the land around it. They made it their private home. Their home was a central spot for planning a famous art project. This project was called Running Fence by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
Becoming a Landmark
In 1974, the Sonoma County Landmarks Commission officially named the Hinds Hotel a historic landmark. This means it's a special building that needs to be protected. The Hinds Hotel is also part of the Freestone Historic District. This district is an area with many important old buildings.
Architecture of the Hinds Hotel
Building Style and Features
The Hinds Hotel is a two-story building made of wood. It is built in the Gothic Revival style. This style was popular in the 1800s and often looks like old European castles or churches. When it was first built, the hotel had an L-shape.
Before 1902, a balcony was added to the building. The original front of the building had a three-step platform, which has been fixed up. The building's outside walls are made with shiplap siding. This is a type of wood paneling that overlaps.
Windows and Doors
The windows are called "six over six double hung sash windows." They have flat trim around them. The main entry doors on the first floor are placed evenly. They have pretty stained glass designs. There is also a side door with a single glass panel. This door has colorful glass on the sides and above it.
Roof and Gables
The roof has pointed sections called gables in the front. The roof edges are decorated with a plain cornice and a wide board called a frieze board. This board goes down the corners to the trim around the top of the platform. Under the center gables, there are special Gothic windows. These windows have a central pointed arch glass door. On each side, there are narrower, shorter pointed arched windows. These are topped with decorative molding.
Gallery
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Hinds Hotel circa 1876
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Hinds Hotel as illustrated in the Historical Atlas Map of Sonoma County California in 1877
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Hinds Hotel in 1979
- Dickenson, A. Bray. Narrow Gauge to the Redwoods.
- Historical Atlas Map of Sonoma County California, 1877, Thos. H. Thompson & Co.
