In Murphys, an Iconic Gold Rush Hotel Lies Silent For the First Time in 164 Years

Californians may recognize Calaveras County for its almost century-old frog jump competition, which was canceled this month due to the coronavirus pandemic. But shelter-in-place restrictions have shuttered an even older Calaveras gem — The Murphys Historic Hotel.

“To my knowledge, it has never been completely shut down and not operated in 164 years,” said owner Brian Goss. That is, until now.

The hotel, which sits on a street corner in the heart of California’s gold country, is a two-story stone building with moss green shuttered windows and a wrought iron balcony. Town residents say it’s the heart of Murphys.

Goss said owning the hotel feels like owning a museum. It’s a gold rush relic, a piece of history that has seen generations of Californians pass through since 1856. Now, for the first time in it’s storied existence, the building sits empty.

“We’ve had a couple of big fires come through here, we didn’t close,” Goss said. “PG&E shutdowns in California, we didn’t close — we had the bar open by candlelight and we were cooking food out on the barbecue.”

Wild West Resiliency

The Murphys Hotel has weathered many storms, both the economic and the literal ones. But the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis defy even this Wild West resiliency — something that’s characterized this old mining town for a century and a half.

The gold rush brought thousands of miners to the region, and by 1852, Murphys had a larger population than it does now, according to local historian Judith Marvin.

“There was a three-story hotel, eight taverns, two restaurants, one express and banking house, nine carpenter shops,” Marvin said. “So it was booming by then.”

The area generated $20 million in gold, and a lot of it was taken from the creek right behind the historic hotel. Throughout the years, the hotel hosted figures like Mark Twain, Susan B. Anthony and J.P. Morgan.

But then came Murphys’ first big bust.

“All the easy gold was found and the whole county went into a big depression,” Marvin said. “But Murphys just kind of staggered along. Slumbered, you could say.”

Tourism Boom and Bust

The town itself just scraped by until the most recent boom came along: tourism.

The old one-horse-town kind of Main Street is now lined with 25 wine tasting rooms, an artisan ice cream shop and a pet store selling elaborate dog vests. But, at least for now, they’re all shuttered.

California's shelter-in-place order hit right as businesses in Murphys were coming out of the slowest part of the year.

“The next five months or six months is when everybody makes their money,” said local resident Bob Russell, who manages a nearby golf club. “You try to make it and break even or not lose too much, then try to make it around next year to this time again.”

The town’s rebound will likely start with the 164-year-old Murphys Hotel. But other businesses, like Doke Sushi, might not bounce back.

Over the past six years, Josh Steck built the small Japanese restaurant into a local favorite. Now, Steck said he’s lost 90% of his business. Locals are trying to support the restaurants, but without visitors, it’s hard to make do.

“I’m not quite sure we could make it through the summer,” Steck said. “We don’t have the money and resources to weather it through this stuff and we’re the last ones to ever get aid.”

If businesses lose tourist traffic the entire summer, it could have a long-term impact. Steck believes that with so many small businesses struggling, the personal touch — the exact thing that attracts visitors to Murphys — could be lost for good.

Historian Judith Marvin thinks it’s going to be a while before Murphys can rebound. Her study of the town’s history leads her to believe the busts usually last much longer than the booms.

“I think we have to reinvent ourselves. As does everyone,” Marvin said. “And it’s not going to be mining.”

But Russell still has a pioneer mindset about the situation.

“I’m born and raised Californian and I've always been a big believer that California always overcomes things,” Russell said. “I think it will survive.”