GPS City GuideSacramentoWhat Cheer House

Stop 20 of 31 · Sacramento audio walking tour

What Cheer House

Old Sacramento · 1855 · California State offices here

What you'll hear here: about a minute on What Cheer House — the story behind what you're looking at, playing hands-free as you arrive.

What Cheer House — at times the Sackett Hotel, at times the Grand Hotel — is the historical Old Sacramento building you now face. This building is California Historical Landmark No. 597, listed on May 22, 1957. It was first used as a hotel, the Sackett Hotel, and in 1855 the What Cheer House was used for the California State offices.

In the 1870s it was called the Grand Hotel. It supported the California Gold Rush pioneers; it was built near the Sacramento waterfront and Central Pacific Railroad station, and its name comes from the pioneer greeting "what cheer, partner?! After the California State offices moved out, the What Cheer House became a warehouse for Sacramento waterfront shipping.

Since then the building has been Stage Nine Entertainment Store, G.Willikers Toy Emporium, The Vault, California Clothiers, and the Old Fashioned Candy and Confectionery. You can also imagine the city’s 13-year program in the 1860s and 1870s to raise buildings and streets to stop the flooding problem in the city, like the Great Flood of... Notice the southeast corner of Front and K Streets, close to the old waterfront and Central Pacific Railroad station.

Where it is

Coordinates
38.5823, -121.5058
Area
Old Sacramento
Era
1855 · California State offices here
Start the Sacramento tour →

Three stops free. No account needed. The audio plays itself as you walk.