Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon

Heinold 's First and Last Chance is one of 1883 Opened by Johnny Heinold pub on today's Jack London Square on the waterfront of Oakland, California.

The suffix " First and Last Chance " (Eng. "First and last opportunity " ) refers to the fact that the Heinold 's the first or the last chance was in former times for many sailors, before or after a long voyage larger amounts of alcoholic to drink beverages.

Wider awareness gained Hafenkneipe by the American writer Jack London, who spent his youth in Oakland and in Heinold 's gathered inspiration for his novels Call of the Wild and The Sea Wolf. In memory of Jack London, the pub also bears the nickname " Jack London 's Rendezvous ".

Beginnings and naming

The building survived until today in its original form was built in 1880 from the remnants of an old Walfängerschiffes at the foot of Webster Street in Oakland. After it had served in the early years as a dormitory for the workers in the nearby oyster beds, bought the German -born Johnny Heinold († 1933) it in 1883 for $ 100 and converted it with the help of a ship carpenter into a pub.

During Prohibition in the 1920s, the location near the ferry terminal for the route between Oakland and Alameda Heinold 's was represented by the first or last opportunity to drink alcohol for many travelers because the serving of liquor in Alameda, in contrast to Oakland was forbidden. Due to the fact that the Heinold 's also for many of the in Oakland on " great ride " continuous sailors the first or the last option was to drink large amounts of alcohol, the name of the pub was officially transformed chance in Heinold 's First and Last.

Jack London 's Rendezvous

Already spent his youth born in San Francisco writer Jack London in Oakland. After driving for some time at sea and traveled as a hobo by the United States and Canada, he returned to Oakland and got his degree after. At the age of 17, he confessed Johnny Heinold during one of his stays in the pub that he planned to study at university and wanted to be a writer. Heinold lent London then the money necessary for this purpose and London enrolled at the University of California in a nearby Berkeley.

Although he quit college after one year again, so collected London during his evenings at Heinold 's at this time numerous ideas for his later works. In his autobiographical novel, John Barleycorn London mentioned the Heinold 's equal to seventeen times. In Heinold 's also the encounter with Alexander McLean took place, the London served as the model for the character of Wolf Larsen in the catfish.

The Heinold 's today

The only dimly lit pub used to this day - and so as a last resort commercial establishment in California - gas lighting. Chairs, tables and many other furnishings date from the time when Johnny Heinold ran the pub. On the walls hang notes with the signatures of sailors who went to war and wanted to have ready when they return money for a drink. On the ceiling and walls hundreds of business cards are stapled. This custom dates back to the time when regulars Johnny Heinold their wares and this answered them, he would buy them as soon as he was rich. A characteristic feature of the pub is their downhill floor. The unilateral reduction results from the year 1906, when as a result of the great San Francisco earthquake a part of the poles on which the pub is built, sank into the muddy ground. In one corner of Heinold 's is a clock that stands still for exactly this moment.

Since 1 September 2000, the Federal Government of the United States, the Heinold 's lead on their list of important historical sites including the National Register of Historic Places.