Hotels

    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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

Located in Eureka Springs, AR, the Crescent Hotel was built in 1886 and was considered one of the most luxurious of its time. However, winter weather kept many away, and it was later converted to a college. In 1937 a new owner turned it into a hospital and spa. He heavily advertised cures for cancer … Continue reading »

Located on Coronado Island near San Diego, “The Del”  is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2013. It was long the playground of the stars in Hollywood’s heyday. It has appeared in numerous movies, the most notable one being Some Like It Hot. Sixteen Presidents have also stayed there. Then photos were  taken in 1900.

The Multnomah Hotel was built in downtown Portland Oregon in 1912. It has seen only nine Presidents but, more importantly, hosted Elvis in 1957. It was used for government offices from 1965 to 1992 when it was purchased and returned to its former grandeur. The hotel is operated by Embassy Suites.