Author Archives: Dablad1
Williamsburg Virginia
Due largely to the vision and generosity of John D, Rockefeller, Jr., there is no better place in America for then-and-now photos than Williamsburg, VA. Beginning in 1926 he quietly bought up much of the former colonial capitol of Virginia. The main road through town has long been the Duke of Gloucester Street, running one … Continue reading
Erie Canal
An idea of the magnitude of lock construction is seen in the first photo dated 1907 showing Lock #3 in Waterford NY and again in an undated photo. Click to enlarge. During winter, a favorite pastime was skating on the Canal as seen in this ca,1900 photo from Clinton Square. … Continue reading
Erie Canal
Ground was broken for the Erie Canal in 1817, making the current year its bi-centennial. It took 8 years to complete the 363 miles from Albany NY to Buffalo NY. The Canal was 40-feet wide with a 10-foot horse/mule towpath for room to pull the barges. Several photos and much information are presented courtesy of … Continue reading
Franklin Hotel
Located in Deadwood, SD, the Franklin Hotel opened in 1903 with many luxuries, including private baths in half of the 80 rooms. Over the years it hosted luminaries such as Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Buffalo Bill, Babe Ruth, and John Wayne.The Crash of ’29 forced the hotel to convert to apartments. It became … Continue reading
Grand Hotel
The Grand Hotel is located on Mackinaw Island, MI, and was built in only 93 days in 1887. At 660 feet, the porch is considered the longest in the world. AAA gives it a 4 Star rating.The Grand Hotel is considered one of the finest hotels in the world. It celebrated it’s 130th birthday in … Continue reading
La Fonda Hotel
The La Fonda is located in Santa Fe, NM, and sits on the site of the town’s first inn established in 1607, making it the oldest hotel site in the country’s oldest state capitol. The current structure was built in 1922 following a 1919 WWI bond drive. For the price of a $100 bond, the … Continue reading
Willard Hotel
Located in Washington, DC, the Willard was originally six buildings connected as one in 1860. It boasted telephone service in 1878, movies in 1897, and air conditioning in 1937. The current Willard opened in 1901 and served many dignitaries until closing in 1968. The hotel sat vacant for many years and was nearly demolished. After the … Continue reading
Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel was built in 1912 before there even was a town of Beverly Hills. Shortly after completion it began to attract many Hollywood stars, i.e., Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Rudolph Valentino, and Will Rogers. Harold Lloyd made part of a movie there in 1921, and an untold number … Continue reading
Audtorium Hotel
Located in Verona, WI., the Auditorium Hotel was so named because of the many performers who appeared there over the years. It was a very popular stage stop and today is occupied by Cahoots Bar. The first photo is from the early 1900s. The third photo is dated 1911; note the stables to the right. … Continue reading
Broadmoor
The Broadmoor Hotel is located in Colorado Springs CO and was built in 1918. It has 779 rooms and 18 restaurants and sits on 3,000 acres. At one time the shooting school was run by Annie Oakley. It has been awarded a 5-star rating from Forbes for 55 consecutive years, the longest of any establishment … Continue reading