National Hotel

Calgary

Street Address:	929 - 11 Street SE
Community:	Calgary
Boundaries:	Lots 7 to 9, Block 12, Plan A2
Contributing Resources:	Building: 1

ATS Legal Description:

Mer	Rge	Twp	Sec	LSD
5	1	24	14	3 (ptn.)

PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):

Plan	Block	Lot	Parcel
A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 A2	12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12	9 8 7 15 14 13 12 11 10

Latitude/Longitude:

Latitude	Longitude	CDT	Datum Type
51.041576	-114.037096	GPS	NAD 83

UTM Reference:

Northing	Easting	Zone	CDT	Datum Type

Recognition

Recognition Authority:	Province of Alberta
Designation Status:	Provincial Historic Resource
Date of Designation:	2002/02/15

Historical Information

Built:	1907 to 1907
Period of Significance:
Theme(s):	Developing Economies : Trade and Commerce Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life : Architecture and Design
Historic Function(s):	Commerce / Commercial Services : Hotel, Motel or Inn
Current Function(s):	Commerce / Commercial Services : Hotel, Motel or Inn
Architect:
Builder:
Context:	HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE The Inglewood District of Calgary was named after the home of North-West Mounted Police Colonel James Walker, who established an estate on these flats in 1883, and was joined by other prominent local figures such as NWMP Major John Stewart and Department of the Interior official William Pearce. Another prominent local resident was rancher A.E. Cross who, in about 1888, decided that, with the rapidly expanding population of the district, there would be an excellent opportunity for the development of a modern brewery. Cross traveled to eastern Canada and the United States to learn details of the brewing industry, and, in 1892, returned to Calgary to build the Calgary Brewing and Malting Company on the property he owned on Inglewood Flats. With the growing demand for beer in the West, his Company rapidly expanded, and, soon, Inglewood Flats took on the name Brewery Flats. Other industries in the district included Walker's sawmill, a slaughterhouse owned by Pat Burns, and the East End Livery. In time however, the district also began to fill up with working class families, with many of the people employed by the nearby industries. In 1908, the Inglewood district was provided with a hotel, the National. Constructed the year before on what is now 11th Street and 10th Avenue SE, the hotel was near the popular East End Livery, where guests could stable their horses, or rent horses and wagons. It was also close to the Maharg Station of the CPR. In addition to housing travelers however, the hotel was also intended to serve the local populace with its tavern. At the time, freestanding taverns were not allowed in Alberta but could function as part of a hotel business, as would be the case for the next 70 years. Conveniently, the National was located only a few blocks from the Calgary Brewery, which became a natural supplier. The National Hotel was apparently constructed by a small consortium including Charles Bell and Al Moodie, but, before it was completed, it was sold to hoteliers Arthur Marsh and Spence Thompson, who had operated the Alberta Hotel in Banff. Marsh also purchased the adjacent East End Livery. On 29 February 1908, the first advertisement for the new hotel appeared in the Calgary Albertan. A trend, however, was developing in the brewing industry, which saw major breweries purchase - or at least acquire controlling interest in - hotels for the obvious purpose of a guaranteed market for their product. They would then lease the hotels to private operators or subsidiary companies. With the apparent early success of the National Hotel, it was natural that the Calgary Brewing and Malting Company would take an interest. In 1910, it acquired the National and leased it to Frank R. Webster, who had earlier managed the Royal and Noble Hotels, and was part owner of the Queen's. Under Webster's management, the National appeared to prosper as Calgary's population continued to expand at a rapid rate. A booster publication in 1914 probably best described its main function as: The gathering place of hundreds of mill workers, railway foremen, railway shop superintendents, sawmill experts, mill designers and heads of corporations which employ hundreds of men in east Calgary. In 1916, Webster terminated his lease on the National. This move undoubtedly came at a good time. Calgary was in a recession, and, with the coming of prohibition later that year, the hotel industry would be devastated, especially establishments like the National. The new lessee, William Mill, managed to survive the ordeal however, and, when controlled public drinking was again allowed in Alberta in 1924, the hotel went back to its main function. That year, Mill expanded the tavern to include the old billiard room of the establishment. Other features of the hotel suffered however. Indeed, there was so much vacancy by 1927 that heating was curtailed on the third floor. The restaurant closed shortly thereafter, although, by law, a kitchen and pantry had to be maintained. Ground floor space along the Eleventh Street side began to be sub-leased to various small commercial operations. In 1936, the beer license for the National Hotel was issued to the Park Hotel Company, a subsidiary of the Calgary Brewery, which operated it until 1947. Various other lessees then followed, until, in 1966, the enterprise was sold to the Highfield Hotel Company, owned by Mayor William Hawrelak of Edmonton. Various other owners then followed, with the sale of beer and other beverages being the principal source of income. This included off-sales as well as on-site consumption. The Hotel continues to operate today, and is believed to be the second oldest continuously operating hotel in Calgary. In summary, the historical significance of the National Hotel lies in its place as a landmark in the industrial and working class Inglewood District of Calgary, and in its service in facilitating a major social institution in twentieth century western Canada, a district tavern. To a lesser degree, it is important as a symbol of the rapid commercial growth of Calgary prior to World War One, and also as a hotel, serving mainly less wealthy visitors to the City from the south. It is also directly tied to one of Calgary's main industries over the years, the Calgary Brewing and Malting Company, although its association with the Brewery's founder, A.E. Cross is very indirect, as are its ties to William Hawrelak. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE The National Hotel is a relatively plain three-storey brick structure. Architectural interest is imparted through the use of two colours of brick - yellow for the main structure and red for details such as the segmental arches over the double hung windows and to accent the building's corners. A simple cornice remains at the parapet level; a similar feature once separated the main and second floors. The angled corner - the original location of the main entrance - is the final architectural feature worthy of mention. Alterations and renovations took place in the 1930s and 1950s. This building belongs to the group of hotels that catered to the needs of working people. Few good examples of such hotels remain.

Additional Information

Object Number:	4665-0991
Designation File:	DES 2093
Related Listing(s):
Heritage Survey File:	HS 7674
Website Link:
Data Source:	Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, Old St. Stephen's College, 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 (File: Des. 2093)