Dining room of the second Southern Hotel, which stood at the southeast corner of what is now Main and Market streets. Undated photograph, unidentified woman. Originally an outbuilding to the first Southern Hotel at the corner of Market and Railroad (in the same block). The first Southern Hotel burned down in 1888 and the outbuilding was converted into its successor.

The second Southern Hotel was replaced about 1914 by the Swall Hotel across the street (now Main Street). Owned by Swall and abandoned, the second Southern Hotel burned down March 18, 1919. The fire was so intense, it blew out the windows of the new brick Swall Hotel. See The Newhall Signal, March 21, 1919.

Photograph identified by Maggi Perkins (2010:36), who writes:

"While not as well appointed as its predecessor, this photograph shows that the interior and furnishings of the second Southern Hotel were of good quality and tastefully done with an eye to details. The lady's sour expression may stem from the effort of pleating so many napkins before the evening meal."

Could this be Frances Smith, aka Francis Delano, later to become Frances Phillips? She worked there as early as 1898, prior to running her own boarding house in the 1910s-20s.