Key Number:	HS 7674
Site Name:	National Hotel
Other Names:
Site Type:	0405 - Mercantile/Commercial: Hotel or Inn

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			23	1	5

Address:	929 - 11 Street SE
Number:	29
Street:	11 SE
Avenue:	9 SE
Other:
Town:	Calgary
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Other
Storeys:	Storeys: 3
Foundation:
Superstructure:
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Flat
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Massing of Units: Double Semi-Detached, Non-Related Wings: Either Side Number of Bays - Facade: First or Ground Floor, 9 Bays or more Wall Design and Detail: Entablature Roof Trim - Eaves: Plain Fascia Roof Trim - Eaves: Plain Soffit Roof Trim Material - Eaves: Unknown Roof Trim Material - Verges: Unknown Dormer Type: None Chimney Location - Side to Side: Offset Right Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Rear Chimney Stack Material: Brick Chimney Stack Massing: Cluster Attached Roof Trim - Special Features: None Window - Structural Opening Shape: Segmental Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Voussoirs Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Material: Brick Window - Sill Type: Plain Lug Sill Window - Sill Material: Brick Window - Number of Sashes: Two, Double Hung Window - Opening Mechanism: Single or Double Hung Window - Special Types: None Main Entrance - Location: Corner Main Entrance - Structural Opening Shape: Flat Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Plain Flat Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening Material: Wood Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Flat Transom, Single Light Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Side Light, One Side Only Main Entrance - Number of Leaves: 1 Main Entrance - Number of Panels Per Leaf: 1 Main Stairs - Location and Design: First or Ground Floor, Without Railing Main Stairs - Direction: Straight Main Porch - Type: None Main Porch - Special Features: None Main Porch - Material: None Main Porch - Height: None
Exterior:	N/A
Interior:	N/A
Environment:	Property Features: None
Condition:	N/A
Alterations:	Site: Original

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Started	1910/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Mercantile/Commercial: Hotel or Inn Mercantile/Commercial: Tavern, Bar or Saloon Mercantile/Commercial: Hotel or Inn	1910/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
N/A

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	RESOURCE National Hotel ADDRESS [929 - 11 Street SE as of 2021; formerly] 1042 - 10 Avenue SE), Calgary BUILT 1907 DESIGNATION STATUS Provincial Historic Resource 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 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 11 th Street and 10 th 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 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 I, 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 Malting Company, although its association with the Brewery’s founder, A. E. Cross is very indirect, as is 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.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Provincial Historic Resource Rescinded	2002/02/15 2005/08/25

Register:	N/A

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0991