Residing in downtown Vacaville between Main St, Merchant St and Dobbins St is what's known as the 'Triangle Building'. There's a plaque hanging on the east corner of the building that reads:
I was able to locate a wonderful article written back in 1997 just before the dedication on the plaque on this building in addition to another plaque in front of the Heritage House Cafe building. Excerpts from the article which describe the history of this building read:
Two downtown Vacaville buildings will become prominent landmarks Saturday when historic markers are placed on them.
Both the Triangle Building and the building that houses the Heritage House Cafe date to the 1800s. Here is a peek at their history up to the turn of the century:
The Triangle Building’s history dates to 1859, when Mason Wilson purchased the triangle-shaped lot from land partners S. Clinton Hastings and John Currey. In 1882, Wilson died, leaving the property to his wife, Luzena. The lot was unimproved.
In July 1883, Luzena Wilson sold the triangle lot to James D. McClain for $300. McClain, publisher of Reporter, declared it, beyond doubt, the most valuable location in Vacaville. He proposed building a five-story structure with a marble edifice there.
McClain signed the property over to his wife, Mary, and proceeded to build a modified version of his grandiose dream. The completed two-story wooden structure was built by local contractor J. M. Daggett. Ornamental tin work provided a nice fronting for the building. The Reporter moved its operation to this site and stayed until 1885.
The records become confusing with a listing of several sales that apparently did not ever reach fruition. In September 1883, it is recorded that McClain sold the property to M.R. Miller for $1,000.
Miller was a most prominent citizen who had a developing interest in town property. Then the property was sold to S.C. Walker, another prominent citizen. In 1884, a 25-by-50-foot piece of the triangle lot was sold to an Ernest M. Treuholtz of Petaluma for a drugstore. The record then shows that in 1889 McClain sold the property to Frederick Hutton for $4,000 and Hutton signed the property over to his wife, Charlotte A. Hutton.
In 1896, Dr. C.A. Weldon, a dentist, had his offices in the Triangle Building, also know as the Hutton Building or the Hutton Triangle. Hutton made an addition to the building for a watermelon store, and Louis Landsberger opened an ice cream parlor there.
In 1897, the Vacaville Bookstore, agent for the San Francisco Chronicle, was located in the Triangle building. J.T. Pendegast moved his real estate office to the building in an office formally occupied by Dr. Scraggs.
It was this year that Charlotte Hutton received a loan of $6,000 to construct a new building on the triangle. This was going to be a two-story brick structure.
Contractor George Waggoner drew up the plans and construction commenced May 21, 1897. Mary McClain still owned a 25-foot portion of the lot fronting Main Street. In August, she conveyed this piece to Hutton for $2,000.
In descriptions of the progressing construction, it is apparent there were several buildings on the triangle. In March and April, at least two old buildings were taken down. Later, the two-story structure McClain built was removed. This may have been the “four-room building’’ Hutton had moved to Merchant Street, where it was to be remodeled for a total of $500.
The cost of Charlotte Hutton’s new building was $12,000. It was described as a large, two-story brick with basement covering the Triangle Block and facing Main, Merchant and Dobbins streets. It featured three units for stores on the first floor and 16 offices upstairs. Part of the basement was to be fitted for businesses; the rest was to be used for storage by the first-floor occupants.
It was announced that Crystal Bros. would occupy a store in the Hutton (Triangle) Building fronting Main. Among the store’s key features were two large windows fronting Main Street. A corner room facing Merchant and Dobbins was fitted for an office.
At the same time that Charlotte Hutton was having her building constructed, L.H. Peterson was in the process of building his store at Gillespie’s old stand. However, he was still operating the produce business he bought from Stadtfeld in the store in the triangle.
Back in 1897, when Charlotte first announced her intentions to build the Triangle Building, Peterson signed a lease for a store on the first floor. When the old building was removed, Peterson was forced to move out temporarily. Then Hutton did not want to honor Peterson’s lease. An arbitrator was brought in. The lease was canceled and Hutton paid Peterson $100 in gold coin.
The Triangle Building was finished May 2, 1898. Rents ranged from $2.50 to $65 a month.
In 1901, Charlotte Hutton signed a Quit Claim Deed over to attorney Raleigh Barcar. In 1908, Raleigh Barcar died. The building was put up for sale.
Kristin Delaplane ~ Historical Articles of Solano County Online Database