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A commemorative plaque was unveiled at Danville’s McCauley House at a ceremony last Thursday, the latest of the town’s historic buildings to be honored as such.
The ceremony, held outside the building located at 411 Hartz Ave. on a brisk afternoon, was attended by members of the Town Council and a handful of other locals and officials. A cloth was lifted off the plaque alongside the front door after a few stakeholders spoke on the importance of honoring the town’s history.
“When you see Danville, you see history,” Mayor Renee Morgan said.
The McCauley House, which is now home to a J. McLaughlin clothing store, was formally dedicated as a town heritage resource back in October 2015, along with the adjacent Danville Hotel.
The history of the house is tied to that of the hotel. Originally, the hotel was located across the street at the intersection of Railroad Avenue and Short Street, and was operated by the McCauley family, Irish immigrants who opened the hotel in 1892.
According to local historians, Mary McCauley’s fine cooking and pies made a name for themselves in the San Ramon Valley: on Nov. 3, 1892, the Contra Costa Gazette praised the hotel’s cuisine, writing, “Danville can at last boast of a restaurant.”
The family — who also managed a 162-acre farm near present-day McCauley Road — later constructed a 1 1/2-story Folk Victorian style residence near their hotel, which would come to be known as the McCauley House. And in 1927, the Danville Hotel was moved alongside the home and turned around to face Hartz Avenue, which had become Danville’s main thoroughfare.
The J. McLaughlin store opened at 411 Hartz Ave. earlier this year, though it’s still known as the McCauley House. Currently, Basque Boulangerie Cafe operates out of the adjacent Danville Hotel.
Thursday’s ceremony was one in a series of dedications that will honor the town’s historic sites. A similar ceremony for the Podva/Shuey house at 100 School St. took place in September.
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Danville council members outside the McCauley House at the ceremony on Nov. 9. (Photo by Erika Alvero) -
The plaque commemorates the history of the McCauley House, which has stood along Hartz Avenue since the early 1900’s. (Photo by Erika Alvero) -
Currently, a J. McLaughlin clothing store operates out of the McCauley house. Historic photos were set up in the shop for the occasion. (Photo by Erika Alvero) -
A photo of the McCauley family. (Photo by Erika Alvero) -
Mayor Renee Morgan commemorated the event by riding into the ceremony on a motorcycle. (Photo by Erika Alvero)
