The Lettunich Building, Watsonville
The Lettunich Building
Corner of Main and East Beach Streets
Once hailed as the most elegant hotel
south of San Francisco, the Mansion House
in Watsonville, built in 1871, was considered
past its prime in 1910. Owners Mateo
and M. N. Lettunich, orchardists who also
operated the Pajaro Valley's largest fruit
packing business, moved the hotel in
1914 and hired James Patterson of San
Jose to build a new structure which was to
be known as the Lettunich Building.
Then called a "skyscraper", the structure
was built of steel and reinforced concrete
with twenty-seven offices on the three
upper floors which were reached by electric
elevator. Built in a record six months, the
new Lettunich Building boasted electricity,
steam heat and water throughout as well as
the celebrated Cutter Patent Mail Chute.
The exterior of the building, of concrete
and enameled terra cotta, featured an
ornament over the entrance made of fruits
of the Pajaro Valley.
Banking had its beginning in the building
with the Fruit Growers National Bank as
a tenant in 1919. Fruit Growers sold to
Liberty Bank in 1927 and that in turn
became the Bank of Italy which later
became the Bank of America. Bank of
America remained until 1969 when it was
relocated to Main and Fifth Streets.
The Lettunich Building remains a central part
of downtown Watsonville.