| The Palo Alto History Project |
| The Hotel de Zink 625 El Camino Real |
| The Hotel de Zink: A Friend Indeed The Great Depression was nothing like America had ever seen. 25% unemployment, 11,000 bank failures, ten years of hard times. Hundreds of thousands of homeless men roamed the countryside, moving from place to place on the back of trains or hitchhiking, while begging for food or work in that era before food stamps or unemployment insurance. They were called hoboes, bums, tramps, or stiffs and by 1931 --- as the Depression entered its third dark year --- it was becoming clear that the problem was not going away any time soon. City governments began to contemplate what to do with the jobless men who were wandering into town. For a time, Palo Alto was one of the most progressive cities in the country in providing a helping hand to the men riding the rails. But the institution that led the way in the early 1930’s was not the brainchild of the mayor or anyone else down at City Hall, but rather the inspiration of Mrs. Mary Belle Glover, who first became interested in the plight of the downtrodden while listening to the Amos ‘n’ Andy Show. Tuning into that famous Depression-era radio serial in 1931, Mrs. Glover heard that many restaurants were throwing away leftover food. After a restless night sleep, Mrs. Glover went down the next day to ask the managers of a number of University Avenue restaurants if this was true. When she found out that it was, she and her husband, former sea captain Jesse Glover, petitioned the City Council and Mayor C. H. Christensen for money and space to create a shelter. Its mission would be to “assist worthy men who are in distress…using food which is good and wholesome but unsalable.” The city pitched in $500, use of a truck and an old warehouse on the Federal Telegraph Company property, where the Sheraton Hotel now stands. Soon, private donations came pouring in from benevolent Palo Altans including famed mystery writer Kathleen Norris. 100 cases of canned goods, a full ton of apples, 25 sacks of beets, a live cow and a large bundle of women’s underwear were among some of the shelter’s first possessions. On November 9th, 1931 the Palo Alto Shelter welcomed in the “knights of the road,” almost half of whom had served their country in the armed forces. The shelter would soon be known as the Hotel de Zink, in honor of Police Chief Howard Zink who was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the project and because the building itself was partly constructed of galvanized zinc. The rules of the shelter were strict but fair. Anyone who stayed at the shelter was required to bathe and delouse, but also offered a clean bunk, warm shower, haircut and shave. The hotel’s guests were required to do work around the shelter and help with upkeep. After a three night’s stay, the men were asked to move along. Drunkards were not tolerated and Captain Glover oversaw a tight ship. One itinerant described the scene: “When I entered the shelter last night, the first thing I noticed was the behavior of the guests. Usually the transient is noisy and ill-mannered; here he was quiet and reserved. He talked in a low tone of voice, read the newspaper or played cards. When we lined up for supper there was no crowding or shoving. The food was excellent… After the meal, one of the workers asked that the fellows (and he said, ‘fellows’) pick up the scraps of bread they left at the table. I almost jumped from my seat because he said ‘please.’ After supper, the crew, the guests and Mrs. Glover sat around the fire and listened to music by three artists of the shelter…it seemed as if a shadow lifted from the hearts of those who were there.” The number of men served by Hotel de Zink was staggering. In a six month period from October 1932 to March 1933, the shelter housed some 9, 290 men, served 40,881 meals (plus 8,645 second helpings), repaired 948 pairs of shoes, gave out 1,680 pairs of socks and even provided 111 three-piece suits. The shelter also served the local poor, delivering Christmas baskets, preparing 1,360 lunches for local children and giving out wood and clothes to needy Palo Altans. The Shelter also had additional services including a small 13 bed hospital overseen by Dr. John Silliman, meals prepared by the former chef of Monterey’s Hotel Del Monte grill (who like the Glovers took no salary), as well as a shoe repair shop (many men came into the shelter in bare feet), tailor shop, small barber shop, newspaper and dentist. Sadly, as the Depression wore on, some Palo Altans lost patience with funding the Hotel de Zink. Complaints were heard that the shelter was diverting too much charity to out-of-towners and not enough to locals in need. Others criticized the shelter for hiring non-Palo Altans to their staff during a time where jobs were beyond scarce. Protests were made that itinerants should be sent on to San Francisco or San Jose. The shelter was closed down in April of 1934, although it labored on serving meals in exchange for work for another five years. The Glovers continued to give to those in need. Mrs. Glover supervised a San Francisco shelter while “Cap” Glover helped institute shelters up and down the state. But for some of the 50,000 weary men that it served, the Hotel de Zink would be remembered as a comfort to them in their hardest days. One man later wrote to Captain and Mrs. Glover: “To the best friends I have. May your years be long and happy and you enjoy life and God may bless you. As a friend in need, you were a friend indeed.” -Matt Bowling |
| Sources: Palo Alto Weekly, Palo Alto Historical Association |
| A line of men wait outside the Hotel de Zink (PAHA) |
| A barber gives a guest a haircut inside the shelter (PAHA) |
| A map of Central Downtown Palo Alto. Zoom in and out with the + and - symbols in the top left corner of the map... |
| Palo Alto: Then & Now |
1931 |
| 2007 |
| Cap & Mrs. Glover (Palo Alto Times) |
| The Hotel de Zink building being fitted out of an old warehouse in 1931. Workers pose as the cars and stores of Alma Street stand behind the train tracks. Today's view is from the public parking lot on the northern end of the Sheraton Hotel. Formerly a Holiday Inn, the Sheraton is one of Palo Alto's most used hotels. |
| The Hotel's namesake, Howard Zink |