THE PALACE HOTEL

Opened on October 2, 1875, The Palace Hotel was the glorious final "gift" of the colorful -- but ill-fated -- William Chapman Ralston to his adopted home city of San Francisco. Born in Ohio on January 12, 1826, Ralston, an agent -- and sometimes even last minute captain -- of Gold Rush steamers that ferried thousands of gold-seekers to California from Panama, was 28 when he finally settled himself in the still wild young city by the Bay in 1854. By the time he co-founded the Bank of California there a decade later in 1864, the energetic and innovative Ralston was already on his way to becoming one of the city's -- and the West's -- wealthiest and most important men. The same year that he opened the bank, Ralston also began building a magnificent summer home called "Ralston Hall" on his recently purchased 14-acre estate named "Belmont" located twenty-five miles south of the city. (The magnificent four-story, eighty-room, 55,360 square foot mansion that resulted still stands there today..

Also known as: Palace Hotel Company, The Palace Hotel Company

Primary location: San Francisco