Santa Monica Hotel on Ocean Avenue

A small group of people lounge on the porch of Santa Monica Hotel, the first one built in downtown Santa Monica. The hotel was constructed on Ocean Avenue between Railroad Avenue (now Colorado Avenue) and Utah Avenue (now Broadway Avenue) in 1875 as housing for workers who were constructing the Los Angeles and Independence Railroad. The hotel burned down in 1889. Photograph inscribed (handwritten): "48. Santa Monica Hotel. Built 1876.; Tom Vandergrift." On verso (handwritten): "Ocean Ave. opposite Arcadia Hotel."