Hotel Charlotte
Also known as: Hotel Charlotte & Cafe; Restaurant
Why it's listed
Hotel Charlotte is a two-story wood frame hotel on Main Street in Groveland, California, with a smaller restaurant building attached on its west side. The hotel was built in 1921 and the restaurant around 1927-28, both by builder Frank Ferretti. Their false fronts, balcony and stucco and corrugated metal surfaces reflect remodeling in the 1930s, and a rear addition was made in the 1970s. The property matters because it is the only hotel founded in Groveland during the Hetch Hetchy water project years that still survives. It briefly housed a few project laborers, then outlasted the construction crews and became the town's leading hostelry in the 1930s and 1940s. It was run by Charlotte De Ferrari, an Italian-born businesswoman who owned it from 1921 to 1948 and was known for her Sunday ravioli and chicken dinners. Together the buildings help preserve the early twentieth century character of Groveland's central street.
Significance in brief: The hotel is the only hostelry established in Groveland during the Hetch Hetchy construction era (1914-1929) that survives today. It operated nearly continuously from 1921 and became the town's most prominent hostelry in the 1930s and 1940s. Together with the restaurant, it reflects both the Hetch Hetchy construction days and the quieter tourism years that followed.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 94001162, listed September 26, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 18736 Main St. (CA 120), Groveland |
|---|---|
| County | Tuolumne County |
| Listed | September 26, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001162 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1921 to 1944 |
| Architect / builder | Ferretti, Frank |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic and current functions are both hotel and restaurant; the form describes the hotel and restaurant as operating, with several remodelings over time. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 37.83916, -120.23032 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 94001162.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14682368
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.