The Palace

Inspired by visionary, William Chapman Ralston, the Palace Hotel was the result of one man's dream of turning the city from boom town into a booming metropolis, simply by erecting a hotel of timeless elegance and unprecedented luxury. Ralston commissioned an architect to study Europe's finest hotels and make them pale in comparison.

To finance his dream and its $5 million price tag, he exhausted his banking empire. Originally built by architect John P. Gaynor, the majestic building hailed 7,000 windows, 14-foot high ceilings and an unprecedented opulence. Just weeks before The Palace's grand opening, he was told the Bank of California would close. The next day, Ralston's body was found floating in the San Francisco Bay. His partner, Senator William Sharon, was undeterred in fostering the dream.
On October 2, 1875, The Palace Hotel opened its doors to great acclaim, the Garden Court was the carriage entrance to this grand hotel. A parade of famous guests visited San Francisco's Palace and stood in awe of its magnificence. Admirers were awed by the hotel's four hydraulic elevators known as "rising rooms." Now guests could reach the hotel's top floors without effort. Each room was equipped with an electronic call button so that every guest's whim was met quickly and fulfilled completely. Then, on April 18, 1906, a massive earthquake shook all of San Francisco. The Palace survived the quake, but was overtaken by fires that engulfed the city in its wake. In 1906, following the earthquake, the Palace closed its doors for the first restoration. It took three years of rebuilding under the supervision of New York firm, Trowbridge & Livingston, before the Palace Hotel would re-open in 1909. It was for this second opening that the artist Maxfield Parrish was commissioned to paint the 16-foot mural “The Pied Piper of Hamlin” that is being displayed to this day in the Pied Piper Bar. The carriage entrance was transformed and The Garden Court was unveiled. In 1909, on December 15, it opened again. Among the magical creations of 1909 are The Garden Court, The Palace Gold Service and The Pied Piper of Hamelin mural. The Garden Court has been recognized as one of the world's most beautiful public spaces. Its opulence was enjoyed by many generations of society's elite. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson hosted two luncheons in support of the Versailles Treaty which ended World War I. In 1945, the official banquet honoring the opening session of the United Nations was held in The Garden Court. Decades had passed since the Grand Dame's 1909 re-opening and San Francisco's "Beauty" was in desperate need of attention. In January 1989, the Palace closed its doors again for a major restoration. When restoration began, the people of San Francisco were extremely concerned about the plans for the hotel and The Garden Court in particular. Everyone was assured that the goal was to restore the hotel to is 1909 elegance. In 1991, the restoration was complete and The Palace opened its doors. The Garden Court was everything everyone had hoped it would be. It was, once again, one of the most beautiful places in the world. Over the years, The Garden Court has become part of San Francisco history holding many memories for many people. Shared stories of engagements, weddings, elegant dinner dances, fabulous parties and fond childhood celebrations make The Garden Court a truly magical place. And history, shall we say, was made again. 2002 the hotel again faced major renovations.

Donal Timbie