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Camron Hall, Oakland, California 1

Camron Hall was in the center of the block on the south side of 14th Street between Broadway and Washington. 

[Does anyone have more information on this beautiful old building?  Architect?  Date built?  Purpose?  What happened to the building, etc.?]

[Any connection to Camron-Stanford house? Possible -- still searching. William W. and Alice were at CS House 1876-1877, and lost their money around 1890 and divorced 1891, so it would be the right timing for it to be sold.]

According to an article in the Oakland Tribune dated 30 December 1890:

”In 1876 or 1877, W.W. Camron purchased the entire frontage on the south side of Fourteenth Street, between Broadway and Washington street [sic], with a uniform depth of 100 feet, for $60,000.”

He quickly sold the corner lots (100 feet x 100 feet each, at the corners of Broadway and Fourteenth and Washinton and Fourteenth, and kept the middle lot (also 100 feet x 100 feet) for himself. He build Camron House on that lot.

[is this place demolished?]

It appears it was used for the Oakland High School commencement in 1881:
http://books.google.com/books/about/Twelfth_Commencement_of_the_Oakland_High.html?id=tt9qGwAACAAJ

Also for an event for the students of the Convent of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in 1880:
"The twelfth annual exhibition and exercises of the young lady students of the Convent of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, will take place at Camron Hall, Fourteenth street, on Thursday, June 3d, at 1:30 p.m. Only persons receiving invitations will be admitted."
http://www.cdnc.ucr.edu/cdnc/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DAC18800530.2.45&cl=&srpos=0&e=-------en-Logical-20-CS-1-----all---

So far on CDNC, earliest date found: 1878, latest date found: 15 January 1889. Mostly for meetings, occasionally concerts and other events.

This tidbit appears in the Daily Alta California from 19 April 1888:
"The Iroquois Club has secured quarters in the Camron Hall Building, on Fourteenth Street. Underneath is the Postoffice."

The SF Call, 27 November 1890 says:
"Henry R. Miller has mortgaged to the Regents of the University of California the Camron Block on Fourteenth street, between Broadway and Washington, for $51,000. He has also deeded the same property to Antoine Borel, subject to the mortgage. Miller is a mining man, and recently purchased the Camron Block, which he remodeled from a theater to a lodging-house and changed the name to Park House."
So that's probably the end of it by the name Camron Hall.

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