Hotel Florence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hotel Florence
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Hotel Florence
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| Location | 11111 S. Forrestville Ave., Chicago, Illinois |
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| Built | 1881 |
| Architect | Solon Spencer Beman |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Part of | Pullman Historic District (ID69000054) |
| Added to NRHP | October 8, 1969 |
The Hotel Florence is an old hotel located in the Pullman Historic District in Chicago, Illinois. It was built in 1881. The famous architect Solon Spencer Beman designed it. Since 1991, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency has owned it.
Contents
A Look Back: Hotel Florence's Story
Traveling Salesmen and Sleeping Cars
After the American Civil War, a new job became very popular: the traveling salesman. These salesmen often traveled day and night by train to visit customers. To help them, Chicago inventor George Pullman created the sleeping car. This was a special train car where seats could turn into beds for sleeping.
Pullman's sleeping cars were a huge success. Many railroads liked them because they were made in a standard way. This meant different Pullman cars could be easily swapped or used together.
Building a Company Town
In 1880, George Pullman started designing a special town. This town, called Pullman, Illinois, was meant to be his greatest achievement. He chose land near Lake Calumet that was not yet part of Chicago. This allowed him to build and manage the town himself.
Soon, the Pullman factories attracted many visitors. Salesmen from all over the world came to sell materials. They sold things like iron, steel, and fabric needed to build the sleeping cars.
The Hotel Florence Opens
George Pullman approved the design for a new hotel. Architect Solon Spencer Beman designed the 50-room Hotel Florence. It was built to house all these visiting suppliers and business people. The hotel cost $100,000 to build.
George Pullman named the hotel after his oldest daughter, Florence Pullman. The most luxurious room, called the Pullman Suite, was for George Pullman and his family. The hotel also offered fancy rooms for important railroad leaders. The Hotel Florence opened its doors to guests on November 1, 1881.
The hotel was not open to regular Pullman workers. However, guests at the Hotel Florence could enjoy special dining options. The hotel restaurant became known for its pork chops starting in 1902.
The Hotel Florence Today
George Pullman's control over his town began to change in 1889. That year, Chicago took over Pullman and started applying its own rules. Another big change happened in 1894 with a major worker disagreement. This event was led by labor leader Eugene V. Debs. George Pullman passed away in 1897.
Under Pullman's next leader, Robert Todd Lincoln, the sleeping car business kept growing. The Hotel Florence even added a large new section, called the Annex, in the 1910s. However, this was also when the American passenger train industry started to slow down.
More and more people began to travel by automobile. This meant fewer people needed sleeping cars on trains. By 1971, almost all night train services were taken over by Amtrak. The sleeping car business eventually ended.
To save the hotel from being torn down, the Historic Pullman Foundation bought it in 1975. The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency took ownership in 1991. The Hotel Florence is currently closed for repairs. The State of Illinois hopes to open it again before 2025.
This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under Public domain (US Government source). Text taken from Hotel Florence, National Park Service.
