Thomas Llewellyn Nesmith - born 1810, died 1888

In 1870, Thomas Nesmith was strolling around the boardwalks of Alonzo Horton's fledgling New Town [San Diego, California]. He was a kindly looking gentleman with white whiskers. He was from New Hampshire and had come to this tiny settlement with the pioneering spirit that brought many others out west before him. He too was caught up in Horton's vision of a bustling and thriving metropolis. Even though all he saw that day was a cluster of false front stores, small houses and a couple of brick buildings, surrounded by acres of cactus and sagebrush as far as the eye could see. He wasn't discouraged. After all, it was a new beginning. He decided he would get involved in shaping the destiny. He was 60 years old, and he felt invigorated.

Nesmith was already a sound businessman before he arrived on the scene in San Diego. He soon joined the business establishment in a joint effort to promote a railroad to connect San Diego to the East. He was close friends with Horton, and they had many business and political dealings together. Leading townsfolk recognized the integrity and business acumen that Nesmith possessed, and elected him to succeed Horton as spearheaded the Committee of Forty, a citizen's group organized to get a railroad to San Diego. He almost succeeded. But, the railroad connection would have to wait a while longer.

Meanwhile, he had his lovely wife Marie, who was active in the community and lead many social and cultural activities for early San Diego Society. He also had a beautiful and intelligent daughter, Henrietta, who would voice her opinion of equality for women, and other important issues of the day, to her father, and anyone else who would listen. Nesmith was a Christian and a man of charity. He also helped to found the San Diego Benevolent Association to help the deserving poor folks.

Horton was moving to a bigger house on a hill, where he could look out over the bay and sight steamboats coming around Point Loma and into the bay towards his wharf at the foot of Fifth Avenue. Horton sold his house on Tenth and G, and that entire block, to Nesmith for nine thousand dollars.

In the early 1880's San Diego started to grow rapidly with the first of its many booms with the rumors that San Diego was going to get a railroad connection to the east. Hundreds of people, along with adventurers and land speculators, poured into the small town. Nesmith considered tearing down the houses he owned in town, to build commercial buildings . It seemed like a good idea, other business friends were doing it. So he did too. But the early booms went bust and progress slowed down or stopped altogether. Finally in 1886, when there was no doubt that at last the Southern Pacific Railroad would finally extend to San Diego. That news created the biggest boom of all, and Nesmith announced his plans to build a four story building on his lot. Henrietta had married Lieutenant Adolphus W. Greely who later was promoted to a Major General due to his expedition into the Arctic Circle. The new four story building was to be named the Nesmith-Greely building, in honor of this daughter. Miss Henrietta bought the lot at 825 Fifth avenue from Alonzo Horton in 1871, and two years later she deeded it to her father.

Nesmith borrowed $50,000 from W. T. Tisdale, a local businessman, to cover the cost of constructing his building. As collateral he pledged all of his holdings on his properties to secure the loan.

Workmen began construction on the site a business was booming all around San Diego, especially downtown. But his health was failing him, and after recurring bouts of illness he felt compelled to resign his presidency at the Bank of San Diego. At seventy-six he felt his remaining years were few. His wife Marie had already passed away and he wanted to see his daughter again before his final demise. In May, 1888, he boarded a train to Washington, D.C. where Henrietta's husband served in the War Department.

With time running out, he decided to write his last will and testament. He estimated that his estate was worth about $200,000 and he could bequeath sizable sums to his daughter and twin sons, Otto and Loring, [Thomas L. Nesmith and Marie Antoinette also had two other sons, John Wadsworth Nesmith who only lived to less than two years old and Anthony Rutgers Nesmith] and still have plenty left over for endowments for two libraries for the cities of San Diego and Julian. Both to be named after him of course. A few nights later as he re-read his will, and pondered that perhaps a couple of small libraries weren't enough to commemorate his name. So he decided to enhance his legacy and enlarge his list of buildings and charities that were to be constructed. Thus assuring his-self immortality.

He re-wrote his 'fantastic will' to include the construction of colleges, universities and private institutions. He included parks, churches and the creation of charities for the poor. He wanted trees planted along roadsides and drinking water facilities installed for both travelers and horses. He wanted a town, any town, named after him. Everything was to bear his name, Thomas Nesmith. After the will was probated the San Francisco Chronicle described it "as queer a specimen of will making as is ever been seen" and inferred that the old man was perhaps "a little out of his mind."

But Nesmith didn't think himself mad. In fact he thought he was rather brilliant in having calculated a way in which to pay for all of these lofty endeavors that he had set down in his will to be carried out. Drawing on his banking experience he knew the magic of compounded interest. He would set aside $5,000 in a bank, and after 150 years, the number he designated, it would multiply into $50,000,000. He did the math, he thought he had it all figured out. It would mature in the year 2039, then all of his philanthropies would come about. A San Diego Union writer later wrote about the futility of Thomas Nesmith's planning ahead 150 years, and stated that by 2039, "every traveler may have his own flying machine." Nevertheless, Nesmith was content at contemplating that his legacies would be fulfilled on June 6, 1888, in Washington, D. C., he signed his signature to the ten page will and had it witnessed. He died in November of that same year, not having seen the completion of the Nesmith-Greely building.

Unfortunately the boom busted in 1888, and Nesmith's value on his properties plummeted and Henrietta and her husband were forced to hand over to Mr. Tisdale everything Nesmith possessed to payoff the $50,000 loan. Everything that is, except the Nesmith-Greely building, which Henrietta was able to hang onto and keep in the family for several years before finally selling it.

Today the Wheelihan Construction Company is into the demolition phase of restoring the old historical site. Soon they'll begin the lay out of the twelve live-in lofts on the top three floors and commercial space on the ground floor. The front exterior that faces Fifth avenue will be restored to its original magnificent Romanesque facade, with its master brick coursings, terra cotta and spiraling towers. After so many years of having been closed, the newly restored Nesmith-Greely building will be open once again around November of 1998. Thomas Nesmith's name will be on the building. Thanks to Henrietta.

The above article was written by Gino Lizardi and was published in the D-Town, Downtown San Diego's Community Newspaper, Volume 1, Number 4 - June 1998 - Excerpted with the gracious permission of D-Town Editor, Rex Edhlund [with the exception of text within brackets].
Photographs by Stephen A. Nesmith - Drawing of Thomas L. Nesmith courtesy of the San Diego Historical Society.

The following was supplied by:
Gas Lamp Quarter Historical Foundation
Cynthia Hansen - Executive Director
410 Island Avenue
San Diego, California 92101
Phone: (619) 233-4692
Fax: (619) 233-4148
Transcribed into it’s current format by:
Stephen A. Nesmith - 27 February 1999

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On March 27, 1871, Alonzo E. Horton deeded Lot "D", Block 61, Horton's Addition (823-831 Fifth Avenue) to Miss Henrietta Nesmith for $1,900.00 in United States gold coin. It was an unusually high amount for a lot at that time. On the same day Horton deeded some other property to Thomas Nesmith, of the State of Texas, Henrietta's father.

In December, 1871, Thomas Nesmith leased lot "D" to Mr. Heyman Solomon for two years at the rate of $25 per month for the first year and $30 per month for the second. Apparently, there were no buildings on the site yet, since it was stated that Mr. Soloman could "remove any buildings or improvements which shall have been erected by him on said premises. . . " or termination of the lease (Lease Book, pages 47 - 48).

Mr. Solomon had been the proprietor of a restaurant in Old Town from 1868, until probably 1872, when it was reported that he was opening a new restaurant on Fifth Street, since the building was near completion (San Diego Union, 1/4/1872). Later in January the location was clarified as being between "E" and "F" Streets. So, he did carry out his intentions in the lease with Nesmith, and this was probably the first building on Lot "D". It was named "Solomon's Restaurant".

Mr. So1omon furnished board to prisoners at the county jail. First sporadically beginning in 1869, and then by a one-year contract beginning in 1871. He had also been a stockholder in the company formed to build a turnpike road from Old Town to Culver Well's Wharf. By 1872, he had been a member of the Grand Jury, vice-president of the Citizen's Railroad committee, and he compiled a list of Hebrews in San Diego County. Two weeks before his lease was up, in November, 1873, he leased the kitchen and dining room of the Horton House after negotiations with Mr. Horton to gain charge of the culinary department. By April, 1874, however, he decided to reopen at the old stand and removed the bar, refitted the "large dining room", and began serving dinners and private parties. He moved to Arizona sometime before 1882, when he was reported to be prospering in that location.

In 1873, Dr. Robert Jones Gregg, a graduate of Jefferson Medical School, opened his office at 825 Fifth. He came to San Diego from Peoria, Illinois in 1869. He was a friend of the editor of the San Diego Union. He was active in Republican politics, was on the board of the Unity Society. He investigated the water quality of San Diego in 1876. In 1901 he was elected to the Board of Education.

In March, 1873, Henrietta Nesmith deeded the lot to her father, Thomas Nesmith, the first of many transactions between members of the Nesmith family which continued on into at least the 1940's. Thomas Nesmith came to San Diego in 1870, and succeeded Horton as president of the Bank of San Diego, the first bank in San Diego. He remained president and member of the Board of Directors until 1883. In 1872 he was a trustee of the San Diego Publishing Company, president of the Citizens Railroad Committee, and senior warder of the Episcopal Church. In 1873, he presided at the start of construction of the Texas and Pacific Railroad terminal and between 1875 and 1879, was the resident director of the company. Thomas’ wife, Marie Antoinette, died in 1873. She was a leader of early San Diego society.

In 1879 Thomas was reported to be doing extensive improvements to his rentals on Fifth, possibly including Lot "D". In December, 1885, he contracted for alterations to his Fifth Street property, but still with no specific mention of Lot "D" . He planned on enlarging the first story with a bay window, removing partitions, and making other changes to make desirable store or office rooms.

Henrietta Hadson Nesmith married Lieutenant Adolphus Washington Greely in June of 1878 in San Diego, and shortly afterward moved to Washington, D.C., where Lieutenant Greely was in the Signal Service. Earlier Mr. Greely had fought in the Civil War. Mrs. Greely returned to live in San Diego, sometime before 1884, when she left for Washington to join her husband, who had been found by a search party in West Greenland. Her twin brothers Loring and Otto accompanied her. The Greely Relief Expedition had been launched to look for survivors of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition which he led from 1881 to 1884.

In May, 1886, Thomas Nesmith and his neighbor to the south on Lot "E" , Charles Hubbell agreed to share the cost of erecting a brick wall on their joint property line, as Mr. Hubbell was beginning construction of a building on his lot.

The March 1887 Sanborn Fire Map shows two buildings on the southern half of Lot "D". The first is a one story "special" building with a shingle roof, approximately 70 feet deep and 15 feet long, used as a Candy Factory, with the address of 825 Fifth. It had a 10 foot deep frame porch on the Fifth Street frontage. The second building shown was a one story frame building with a slate or tin roof, approximately 10 feet wide and 20 feet deep, used as a cigar store.

On the northern half of Lot "D", set back 5 feet from 5th Street, was a two story frame building with a shingle roof, approximately 45 feet deep and 20 feet wide. It had a frame partition which runs down the center, dividing a tailor's shop and a dress making shop. It had a brick chimney and an entranceway which projects out from the building on to 5th Street.

On November, 29, 1887 is found the first mention of the present-day Nesmith- Greely building, in the San Diego Union (5:2). The article said that Mr. Nesmith was about to erect 2 brick structures "of an enduring character" on Fifth between "E" and "F" and on Fifth between "C" and "D" Streets. On our lot was planned a 4 story brick building, 50 x 100 feet, to be known as the Greely block. The other building, a 100 x l00 feet building, would be known as the Nesmith block. The name of the building on Lot "D" was changed later to the Nesmith-Greely Building, in honor of Henrietta and her husband, Brigadier General Greely. The building between "C" and "D" Streets probably was never built.

The contractors, Radc1iffe and Byrnes, may very well have been de1ayed in beginning construction, and proceeding with the construction, since there was a great scarcity of lime during the winter of 1888 and many buildings had necessarily been delayed or suspended.

On February 6, 1888, in the San Diego Union, there was printed a quite complete description of the planned building:

The Nesmith Brick Business Block

The large brick building, the foundation for which is now being laid on the east side of Fifth Street between "E" and "F", will be known as the Henrietta Nesmith building. It will be a solid brick structure with four stories and a basement. The front will be of pressed brick, granite, and terra cotta. The size of the building will be 50 x 110 feet. The front will present an unusually large glass surface, and all the glass will be Leavy French plate. Between the windows on the first floor will be cast iron pillars, supporting large rounded pressed brick piers. The entrance to the building will be on the south side. It will be twelve feet wide and will lead to the stairway and elevator. The stairway will be of oak and highly ornamental. Above the elevator-shaft and in the center of the building will be a large sky light. The first floor of the building will contain two stores. each 18 x 25 feet in size. In the upper stories there will be sixty office and lodging rooms. A basement, 50 x 109 feet, will extend under the entire building and pavement. The cost of the building will be about $30.000.

On Februarv 29th, the San Diego Union had an article that said the value was increased to $32,000. On April 5, the building contract, with Radcliffe and Byrnes listed as contractor, was recorded with the city.

In the Golden Era magazine of 1889 (Volume 38, page 464), the firm of Comstock and Trotsche was listed as the architects of the building, in a formidable list of buildings they had constructed in San Diego. N. A. Comstock and Carl Trotsche probably came to San Diego in 1886, when they were reported as the architects of the Louis Opera House. In 1889 Mr. Comstock, the senior partner in the firm, opened a branch in Seattle, Washington and within a couple months had already gained notoriety for the astonishing growth of the firm, which had already drawn up plans for about $400,000 worth of buildings. Mr. Trotsche managed the affairs in San Diego and also did a flourishing business. They dissolved their partnership in 1891, with Mr. Trotsche remaining in San Diego. Their firm was located in the elaborate Pierce-Morse Building, which they had designed. They designed a great number of buildings in San Diego, including: The Villa Montezuma house (the Jesse Shepherd residence); the residence of Colonel Dickinson in National City; the Coronado Boat Club boat house; the La Jolla Park Hotel; the Southwest Institute, B Street, Middleton, and Sherman Heights schools; the Unitarian Church; the Morse, Whaley, and Dalton Block; the Coronado School; the Express block; Turn Verein Hall; the Grand Hotel; the Ralph Wright residence; the Court House; the Consolidated National Bank Block; The Douglas Gunn building (which replaced the old post office); Schiller- and Murtha's remodeling; a cottage on "K" between 22nd and 23rd Streets; and buildings in Oceanside and Escondido. They were known for their Victorian and "gingerbread" styles of architecture. The Nesmith-Greely facade, however, is described as being Romanesque or Romanesque Revival. ("Blueprint" , of the Historic American Buildings survey, 1971 San Diego Project, office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, National Park Service). The survey noted that the facade was constructed of "brick with stone, patterned brick, and sheet metal embellishment." The 1972 AIA Guide to San Diego called attention to the brick coursing, and the "cylindrical elements capped by "stone" filials of coated sheet metal."

The l888 (updated to1904) Sanborn Map shows the building described in the February 1888 newspaper article. There was a 5 foot set-back in the rear of the lot. The addresses used were 821, 825, 831 Fifth, with the occupants, a news stand, and two stores, respectively. The entryway to the stairs was constructed of iron. The elevator was enclosed in brick. Frame partitions separated the stores, and there were iron posts running the length of the building, near the center. The skylight lights three stories. There shows a metal cornice on the front of the building and windows in the rear and in the southern wall, with openings to the top three stories. The roof was composition with a 24" parapet (fire wall) above the roof.

In November of 1888, Thomas L. Nesmith died in Washington, where he had been visiting Henrietta and her husband, General Greeley. He had been in ill health through the preceding year. In his will, discussed in January, 1889 San Diego Union articles, he set aside $5,000 for the building of a lyceum 150 years later (2039). It was speculated that the interest would compound and the $5,000 would have grown to the grand sum of $15,360,000, with the interest at that time amounting to $921,000 a year. After 2039 the interest could be drawn to be used mostly for lyceum building and maintenance, with the remainder used for building homes for the poor. His will also provided for watering troughs for horses and for the hiring of people to pick up loose stones in the streets (San Diego Union, column 1, 1/18/1959, 2:1-3)

The philanthropist's far-sighted idea was never manifested however, since he also had a $50,000 mortgage on a downtown office building, and the total of his estate was $3.64, which went to the administrators, and a set of Bancroft's History of the Pacific, which was bequeathed to General Greely, who never claimed them. Mrs. Loring (Jeanette) Nesmith later donated them to the Serra Museum.

Isador Levi's famous Golden Eagle Bazaar occupied the 825-827 addresses of the Nesmith-Greely building in 1891. In the June 7, 189l (5:2) edition of the San Diego Union, Levi was said to have "just completed improvements in the Nesmith-Greely block, and has added a crystal palace to his already mammoth, metropolitan establishment." W. D. Tisdal1, of San Jose, Santa Clara County, acquired lot "D". At a public auction of the Nesmith estate in May of 1893. He paid $55,654 for the entire Nesmith property holdings which included 14 lots in Horton's Addition, one lot in Sherman's Addition, and several lots each in Escondido, south Oceanside, and Rancho Rincon del Diablo. Daniel Cleveland, who had been the Nesmith's counsel since the first 187l transaction with Horton, served as executor of the estate with Loring Nesmith, one of Thomas' sons. He held title for a short amount of time in 1894, before deeding it back to Tisdale. Loring was also of San Jose, so Mr. Tisdale was presumably a friend of the family. He deeded the block of property back to Henrietta and Otto of Washington, D. C. and Loring of San Jose for $10.00.

Interesting names among the Nesmith-Greeley tenants included the Simpson brothers who were draymen, listed at 825 Fifth Street in the 1887-1888 City Directory. They later replaced their drays and horses with trucks and grew into a hauling business known as the Pioneer Truck Company. (San Diego Union, April 6, 1890)

The following year, 1889-1890, Mrs. Clara Shortridge Foltz, the first woman attorney to be admitted to the State of California Bar Association, was listed as a tenant. In a later year, she announced that she would start organizing the Woman’s Bar Association of California. (San Diego Union June 24, 1933). Fo1tz's male counterpart, Daniel Cleveland, an equally prominent San Diego attorney, arrived on the steamship Orizaba on May 25, 1869. By the 1890's he had set up his home and law firm at 825 Fifth Street, in the Nesmith-Greely Block. During a 1ifespan o f 90 years, the last sixty of which were spent here in San Diego; Cleveland managed to entrench himself in local civic and cultural development.

His obituary in the San Diego Union, on January 41 1929 (1:3) the day after his death, read, "Daniel Cleveland was a dreamer, lawyer, scientist, historian, hardheaded man of affairs, humanitarian, religious leader, (he was a vestryman in the San Diego Episcopal Church), incorporator of the San Diego Daily Bulletin Post, Director of the San Diego and Los Angeles Railroad Company, and past Director of the Bank of San Diego, as well as past President of the Coronado Beach Summer School. He crowded a multitude of worthwhile accomplishments in the time he lived for others and for this city; he was a specialist in "firsts" such as founding our present public library, playgrounds, banks, hospitals, etc. He was a power for good in this community, a man who will be missed greatly."

William Darby, an attorney kept his office at 825 Fifth from 1888 until 1894, when he committed suicide, the result of "aberration of drink". (San Diego Union, 12/6/1894) He had just been elected county district attorney only a month before.

Loring and Otto Nesmith, twin sons of Thomas, and their children, held title to lot "D", both jointly and separately, at various times between 1895 and 1946 (when this title search ends). Loring had been acting cashier of the Bank of San Diego for three years, when he retired in 1874 in order to move to San Francisco, his new home . He became, in 1876, assistant cashier of the Farmers' National Gold Bank (also referred to as the Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank and the First National Bank) in San Jose. In 1878, he moved to Honolulu to accept a similar position there. His wife's name was Jeanette and in 1939 was the last resident in San Diego of the pioneer family.

Otto first visited San Diego in 1878 accompanied by Loring. In 1884, he accompanied Henrietta and Loring to the East Coast. In 1885, he married Miss Blanche Vangran, an actress from Providence, Rhode Island. At that time it was noted that he was a young lawyer in Chicago. Later, by 1897, he became a resident of Washington, D.C. He died in 1923, in New York City and his daughter, Ottola, was executrix of the will and sole person interested in the estate. She received $3,412 in cash and an undivided ½ interest in Lot "D".

From 1892 until 1895, 831 Fifth was occupied by a grocery, first by J. D. Burch and company, followed by M. G. Miller and J. F. Phillips. It was known as one of the best in the city.

In 1896, Mane, Quon, the former senior partner and manager of Kee and Company, opened a store, at 831 5th, which sold Chinese and Japanese goods, novelties, and "fancy goods." Albert Quon, probably Mane's father, had opened their first store in 1888, near 6th and Market. Called Mane Quon and Company, Mr. Quon operated the store at 83l 5th Street until 1915. In 1935, he opened a new store at 5th and B, and it was noted that he also had a factory in Peiping, China. The Marble lions which guarded the entrance to his store were 185 years old.

In January of 1897, Loring and Otto mortgaged Lot "D", with the other block of property, to General Greelv for $17,000. General Greely acquired title to Lot "D", sometime before 1902, when he and Henrietta deeded it back to Loring

In January of 1897, Loring, Otto, and Henrietta, all of Washington, D. C., mortgaged Lot "D", together with the considerable block of property mention when Mr. Tisdale acquired title from the Thomas Nesmith estate, to Mr. Greely for $17,000.

Mr. and Mrs. Greely acquired title (he had been the mortgagee) sometime before April, 1902, when they deeded Lot "D" to Loring (now a resident of Los Angeles) and Otto (of the United States Army, stationed in Havana, Cuba) for S10,000. (Deed Book 320, page 11).

It appeared to be some sort of family trade-off, however, since following this deed was one in which Loring and Jeanette deeded the remainder of the large block of property they held to Henrietta and Otto (with Blanche) for the same amount, $10.000.

In 1903, the millinery shop run by Edward and Myrtle Swisher in the Nesmith-Greely building caught fire, and threatened to destroy several surrounding buildings. Although the blaze was subdued, "damage was more serious than was first supposed and losses were estimated to have run into thousands of dollars." (San Diego Union, - June 22 and 23, 1903).

In August of 1906, Loring and Otto Nesmith, (by Loring, his attorney in fact) leased for five years, at $175 per month, the south portion of the south store (827 Fifth Street) together with the part of the basement directly underneath the store, to J. C. Packard. It was Packard, along with a partner, who opened San Diego's first bookstore in 1884. (San Diego Union, 1/28/1951-8:1). His specialty was "to deal fairly and honestly with his customers, and to give them a good article at a reasonable price, reserving a fair profit for himself." (1886-1887 San Diego Directory, page #:57)

It was stipulated that the Nesmith's reserved all the portion of the basement "south of the south line pillars." The Nesmith's agreed to change the front of the store, "the same to have one show window, only" providing Mr. Packard paid any cost exceeding $150.00. It was understood the store would be used for conducting a book and stationary business, which Mr. Packard ran from 1906 till 1910. (Lease Book #6 , p.p. 447-449). It was a small, but successful business.

In July of 1912 a building contract between the owners, Otto and Loring Nesmith, and A. E. Keyes was filed with the City. On October 26, 1912 a Notice of Completion was filed (Misc. Book 39, page 471). W. S. Hebbard, of the Hebbard and Gil1 architectural firm filed it for the owners. It had called for alterations in the store front, so it is to be noted that for future restoration work to be accurate, it should be planned from pre-1912 documents and pictures.

From 1919 to 1925, the China Toggery Store, which sold ladie's and children's wearing apparel, operated at 831 5th. It was also called the J. Schoong Company in the early years. Ferdinand Grah, a native of Solingen, Germany, came to the United States in 1909, and brought the knowledge of his cutlery trade with him. In 1913, he moved to San Diego, and in 1919 established his cutlery business in the Nesmith-Greely building at 825 5th Street, where he remained in business for at least 23 years. (San Diego Union, Sec. D., 12/4/1936-8:5). It was Grah who, (along with his son, Rudolph,) established the Grah Safe and Lock Company in 1914 at 2nd and "F" Streets. (San Diego Union, 12/26/1973, D-l:2-6). The Grah name has an impressive history here in San Diego.

Ferdinand's son, Rudolph Grah, was born in a castle in Solingen, Germany. It was while playing in the castle's dungeon, with its intriguing doors and locks, that Rudolph first became interested in learning the lock smithing trade. And out of his San Diego business grew the desire to start collecting an array of fascinating, historic keys. From an article in the San Diego Union, dated February 6, 1964 (11: 1-2) entitled, "Little Shop Holds Keys To Romance, " comes this quote; "Keys to some of the great adventures of the world can be found in a little key shop at 816 Market Street."

The 1921 (updated to 1963) Sanborn Map showed few changes. The iron-constructed entryway was no longer noted, though it could still exist. The elevator today is not in use, and is boarded up. A vertical pipe (for use in fires) was noted near the southern edge of the skylight, 50 feet in height, with a hose for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th stories.

The addresses shown are 831, 827, and 825 Fifth, are occupied by three stories. The parapet is now shown to be only 18" above the roof. In the January 1, 1896, edition of the San Diego Union is a drawing of the building, together with the Ratner Building, Today the property is occupied by three proprietors, at 831 the Seaport Traders and AB Music Exchange, at 827 The Candlelight Bookstore, and at 825 the Clark Hotel.

The original storefront is mostly covered over with signs and altered considerably.