Hotel Fontenelle facts for kids
The Hotel Fontenelle was a fancy hotel in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. It was located at 1806 Douglas Street. A famous architect named Thomas Rogers Kimball designed it. The hotel opened in 1915 and was torn down in 1983. It was named after Logan Fontenelle, who helped the Omaha Tribe and the U.S. government. He was an interpreter when the tribe gave land that became the city of Omaha.
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History of the Fontenelle Hotel
The Hotel Fontenelle first opened its doors on February 15, 1915. It cost about $1 million to build, which was a lot of money back then! Many citizens helped pay for it, which was a common way to fund hotels at that time.
Thomas Kimball designed the building for the Douglas Hotel Company. The company's president was Gurdon W. Wattles. The hotel had 350 guest rooms, decorated in an English style. The public areas, like lobbies, had beautiful marble floors and shiny mahogany wood panels.
The Eppley Hotel Company Takes Over
The Douglas Hotel Company ran the Fontenelle until 1920. Then, a very successful hotel owner named Gene Eppley bought it. The Fontenelle became the most important hotel for his company, the Eppley Hotel Company. In the 1950s, Eppley's company was the biggest privately owned hotel company in the United States. He owned 22 hotels in six different states. Gene Eppley even lived in the Fontenelle after he bought it in 1920. He passed away there in 1958.
A Hub for Omaha Society
The Fontenelle Hotel was a very important place for social events in Omaha. Many parties, weddings, and big meetings happened there. For example, the Girl Scout movement in Omaha started at the hotel. It also hosted a national women's bowling tournament. Famous authors like Willa Cather gave talks at the hotel.
Changes and Closure
In 1956, Gene Eppley sold his entire hotel business to Sheraton Hotels. This deal was worth thirty million dollars! It was the second-largest hotel sale in U.S. history at the time. The hotel then became known as the Sheraton-Fontenelle. It was still a popular spot for social gatherings.
However, Sheraton sold the hotel in 1968 to Gotham Hotels. They sold it along with seventeen other older properties. After this, the hotel got its original name back: Hotel Fontenelle. In 1968, the hotel was also the main office for Senator Robert F. Kennedy's campaign when he was running for president.
The Hotel Fontenelle closed its doors for good on February 28, 1971. The city of Omaha was growing more towards the west, and the hotel's condition was getting worse. For the next twelve years, people tried to fix up the Fontenelle, but it stayed empty. Finally, it was torn down in the spring of 1983. Today, the spot where the hotel once stood is a parking lot for the Roman L. Hruska Federal Courthouse.
Famous Guests at the Fontenelle
Many well-known people stayed at the Hotel Fontenelle over the years. These included famous baseball players like Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth.
President Harry S. Truman was also a guest. He was a personal friend of the hotel owner, Gene Eppley. Senator John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline stayed at the hotel. This was during his campaign for the 1960 Presidential election.
See also
In Spanish: Hotel Fontenelle para niños
