| Click the button below to search for articles... View News Items from prior months... June 2021 July 2020 June 2016 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 July 2013 June 2013 March 2013 February 2013 November 2012 October 2012 August 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 November 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 October 2010 September 2010 February 2010 January 2010 | "Historic" Loyalton Hotel Destroyed by Fire At approximately 2:20 a.m., on December 14 2013, the Loyalton Fire Department received a call from the Sierra County Sheriff's Office Dispatch Center advising of a structure fire at 605 Main Street in Loyalton, The Loyalton Hotel. Fire Department personnel responding from Sierra Brooks reported seeing flames above the city skyline. Additional resources were immediately requested from surrounding jurisdictions. Loyalton Fire Department responded 3 Engines. Beckwourth, Sierraville, and Sierra Valley Fire Departments responded with two engines each. Upon the initial dispatch, the second story and roof of the 17,000 square foot concrete and wood building was nearly fully involved with fire. The major concerns at that time were the exposures nearby, which included Leonards Market and the old Plumas Bank buildings across the street, the pharmacy building to the east, and the two residences directly behind the hotel. Upon arrival, the heat from the fire had caused the windows of the market and bank to begin to blow out and the paint was bubbling on the exterior walls. The ATM machine at the bank had started to melt. The pharmacy building was also receiving significant heat with vinyl siding beginning to melt off the exterior walls. These structures were about to ignite upon arrival. Loyalton Fire was able to provide initial exposure cooling and knock down of the fire in the front of the hotel with the use of the deck gun from the new grant-purchased fire engine. Other Loyalton engines took locations at the pharmacy and residences behind the structure and began exposure control and cooling measures. Engines from neighboring departments were quick to react and received assignments, assisted with exposure protection and fire extinguishment flawlessly. Due to the amount of water needed to keep this fire contained to the hotel, three separate fire hydrants were used to provide the adequate water needed. Golden West Dining opened early and offered all firefighters breakfast and Leonards provided coffee and rolls. Kim Folchi picked up the tabs for lunch. Due to the building being abandoned and having no electricity, Loyalton Fire Department requested a certified fire investigator from Truckee Fire Department, who investigated the scene. Along with the Fire Investigator, Sierra County Sheriff's Office, and Loyalton Fire Department Personnel assisted in investigating the cause of the fire, which is still underway. Loyalton Fire Department would like to thank the Truckee, Sierra Valley, Sierraville, and Beckwourth Fire Departments for their quick response and actions at the fire. The fire was contained to the hotel. No injuries were reported. Leonards Market, the Plumas Bank/ATM, and the pharmacy received minor damage. After Initial fire suppression, the burned hotel structure was deemed unsafe for entry to complete fire extinguishment and overhaul due to the possible collapse of the burned out walls. Another concern was the possibility of firefighters falling into hidden void spaces under the hotel which contained burning material. The only way to make the area safe for extinguishment was to demolish the building immediately. Safety of the public was a key priority for the City, LVFD, and SCSO. All involved agencies agreed to demolish the building and remove the debris quickly. The Loyalton Hotel, 16,720 square feet, was a vacant commercial building located on Main Street in the heart of downtown Loyalton. According to former Loyalton Museum Curator Elda Fay Ball, it opened in 1925, having been built by the owners of Sierra Hotel which had burned in 1923. The owners took insurance money and built the luxurious Loyalton Hotel which featured steam heat and the only concrete sidewalk in town. Elda Fay lived in one of its upstairs apartments the summer and fall of 1946-47 with her mother and step-father. Her mother managed the kitchen for several months and Elda Fay waited tables. She remembers it housing a lot of friendly people, mainly single men, including the late Pierre Bonahan and Theo Wells. It had a nice lobby with comfortable chairs and, men, who would sit outside the pool hall in summer, would occupy the hotel lobby in winter. Elda Fay remembers the bar very elegant with the restaurant in back. Elia MIles says it was built later than 1925. She remembers as a girl of 7 or 8 years old when it was built, 1927 or 1928. She agrees it was elegant, carpeted and a beautiful stairway with dining in the back room behind the bar. Her aunt, Eva Woods, stayed in a room with a double bed for $20/month. Elia remembers Mrs. Johnson needed that bed and exchanged it for a single at $15/month. Eva worked at the box factory and when the kitchen was rushed, she'd work in exchange for a meal. Chet Mitchell states there was a Flying A gasoline station on the west side lot, operated by Carl Fargo. In the 1930's, according to Elda Fay, Louie Martini and his wife, Hazel, lived there and Louie ran it. Their daughter, Velma Howes remembers having played there as a child. Elda Fay said she notified Velma of the fire and noted, "Some of our childhood is gone." It was Hazel Hammond who built on the restaurant in 1950. That year Rosalie and Earle Little were married and lived upstairs a couple months and Earle remembers walking through the lobby, occupied by loggers. Many locals worked there, including Pat Snider who worked in 1966-67 and remembers Hazel as a "stand up lady." Maggie Rushing and Marge Hubbs and Stella Vanetti also are remembered as having waited tables. Louise Kerr and Joe Scocik owned the property in the 1960-70's and added an array of antiques and barnwood to the dining and upstairs rooms. They created it as a real destination, holding huge yard sales on the empty lots and hosting motorcycle and various car groups. They also opened Smithneck Country Store on the west side of town. Emil and Lorel Atkinson also ran the business and added a barbecue to the restaurant where diners could cook their own steak. Lorel wrote articles on those years which were published in the Sierra Booster. Other owners included the Aharts and Joan and Bud Carroll. The Carrolls, according to Joan, received no grants yet improved the appearance greatly, adding a pitched roof at $50,000, dormers and balcony. Joan talked Bud into letting go of the liquor license in favor of a family ice cream parlor and they had grand plans for a deli. Bud worked nights and week ends alone, added ornate woodwork and archways on the building and residents held great hope for an eventual opening. They also owned the red brick building which they remodeled and housed a very nice antique shop and the current Dons home where Joan opened a quilt shop which was beautifully designed for fabric and sewing projects. She appreciated the historic charm and approached the City Council about adopting a building ordinance to keep any new building looking historic. Both the Carroll businesses were eventually closed and the hotel project shelved and never completed. It was currently up for sale at $169,000. Joan says they had to make regular visits because it was "always broken into." During the fire, several surrounding buildings received minor damage due to the extreme heat of the fire. Damage included broken/cracked windows at Leonards and the bank building , damaged siding at the pharmacy and a slightly melted automated teller machine which declined to operate and may take up to a week to get parts. The new fire engine had some decals and lights melted. However, the Community Christmas Tree continues standing, its lower branches still brightly lit. The Loyalton Hotel was completely ravaged by the fire and at daybreak, only the concrete walls remained. To make it safe, City Council had Folchi Construction knock the walls down. Fill material from the wastewater plant was hauled in to fill holes where boiler plants once were. At Tuesday night's City Council meeting, Assistant Chief Robert DeMartini stated things "went very well under the circumstances." He added praise for the Explorer Scouts who showed up at the fire and told of the excellent training program Fire Chief Shawn Heywood has set up, complimenting Shawn's vast experience along with his and wife, Kelly Heywood's medical training too. Truckee Fire District Investigators are assisting the Loyalton Fire Department and the Sheriff's Office in the ongoing fire investigation. Anyone with information related to the fire please contact Sheriff John Evans or Detective Mike Fisher at (530) 289-3700. Published: 12/20/13 |