The Big Four House was originally three separate buildings constructed over 1851 to 1852, adjacent to the Sacramento River waterfront. The original three structures included the Stanford Building, the Huntington & Hopkins Building, and the Miller Building.[2]
The Big Four
The lower floors were occupied by merchants, three of whom later became The Big Four (with Charles Crocker), hence the buildings' name. The Big Four were associated with the founding of the First transcontinental railroad linking California with the Eastern U.S. — and were Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Jr., Leland Stanford, and Charles Crocker. On the second floor these buildings they organized and ran the Central Pacific Railroad Company of California, to plan, build, and operate the western section of the first Transcontinental Railroad. They also founded the Southern Pacific Railroad here.[2] Huntington, Hopkins & Co., which imported and sold hardware, iron, steel, and coal, occupied 54 "K" Street. The second floor of these structures served as the first offices of the Central Pacific Railroad from 1862 to 1873.[2]
By 1878 ownership was consolidated, and the structures were enlarged into one building. Over time it has also housed shops, including the Huntington & Hopkins Hardware Store, a bar and cafe, and a hotel on the second floor.[2]
^ ab"Big Four House". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on November 14, 2007. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
^ abcdDeHaas, John N. Jr. (August 1962). "Big Four Building"(PDF). Historic American Buildings Survey. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Archived from the original(PDF) on October 21, 2012.
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