Hotel Arthur facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Hotel Arthur
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Postcard of Hotel Arthur dated 1906
Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	2-4 N. Broadway Aurora, Kane County, Illinois, United States
Built	1905
Architect	Eugene Malmer
Architectural style	Renaissance Revival
NRHP reference No.	04001300
Added to NRHP	March 15, 2005

The Hotel Arthur, also known as the Traction Terminal Building, is a historic six-story building in Aurora, Illinois. It was first built as a hotel for people traveling along the Fox River. Later, in 1915, the Aurora, Elgin and Chicago Railroad moved its main offices here. This building then became the last stop on the Aurora train line.

A Look Back: The Hotel Arthur's Story

This beautiful building, designed in the Renaissance Revival style, was finished in 1905. It first opened its doors as a hotel. A man named John Knell, Sr., who came from Germany and sold beer, ordered the building to be built in 1904.

When it was completed, Hotel Arthur was the tallest building in Aurora. It held this title until 1917. It was also the only hotel on the east side of the Fox River. Eugene Malmer designed the hotel, and it was named after Arthur Knell, the owner's brother.

The Building Becomes a Train Hub

In 1915, the Aurora, Elgin and Chicago Railroad rented the building. They wanted to use it as their main office. The building was then renamed the Traction Terminal Building. The first floor was changed into a waiting area for train passengers and a place to eat.

Other businesses, like doctors' offices and insurance companies, also moved into the upper floors. Later that year, the building was passed to John Knell, Jr. He was also a successful businessman, just like his father. The railroad's twenty-year lease ended in 1935. However, the name Traction Terminal Building stayed with the building. It continued to have small businesses on the ground floor and offices on the upper floors. New storefront windows were put in during 1937.

Changes Over Time

The building did well through the 1950s. But then, new highways were built, and fewer people needed to travel by train. As fewer trains used the Aurora system, the downtown area started to look run down. The upper floors of the building were left empty in the 1960s. The very last business on the ground floor moved out in 2003.

Today, the building is being changed into apartments. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 15, 2005. This means it is recognized as an important historical place.

What the Hotel Arthur Looks Like

The outside of the building is made of red brick. It has Indiana Limestone details above and below the second floor, and also above the fifth floor. The windows on the other floors have limestone sills, which are like ledges.

The side of the building facing south has ten windows on each floor. The side facing east has four windows on each floor. The east side originally had eight windows, but additions in 1906 and 1912 added two more. Most floors have wooden windows that open up and down. The sixth floor has windows with arched tops.

Special Details and Changes

A fancy decorative border, called a cornice, is at the very top of the building. It has small block-like shapes, called dentils. Most of this border is made of limestone. However, the part above the newer additions is made of metal. A metal fire escape runs along two windows on the south side.

The first floor used to have rough-textured limestone, but this was replaced with glass storefronts in 1937. The north side of the building is hidden by another building for the first three floors. The upper floors on this side are plain brick. They have windows that match the south side. There is also an old, faded painted advertisement on this side. The west side is also hidden for the first two floors. It also has windows and a faded painted sign. The ground floor was changed into a restaurant in 1966. You can get to the upper floors, which have wooden floors, through a door on Broadway.

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  Hotel Arthur