Louis Joliet Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Louis Joliet Hotel
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 22 East Clinton Street Joliet, Will County, Illinois, United States |
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| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Noyes Roach |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 90000101 |
| Added to NRHP | February 9, 1990 |
The Louis Joliet Hotel is a historic, eight-story building located in Joliet, Illinois. It was once a very important hotel in the city.
Contents
A Grand Hotel's Story
The Louis Joliet Hotel was built in 1927. It was designed in the Classical Revival style, which means it looked like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. When it first opened, it was a fancy hotel.
Why Hotels Were Built in Joliet
Back in the 1920s, more and more people started using cars. This meant more travelers were driving through towns like Joliet. Many business people needed places to stay. So, lots of new hotels were built in downtown Joliet.
Older hotels used to be near canals or train stations. But with cars, new hotels could be built almost anywhere. These new hotels were often very grand. They had nice dining rooms and big ballrooms. This made them perfect for travelers and business meetings.
Building the Louis Joliet Hotel
Two brothers, known as the Ruben Brothers, wanted to build a new hotel. They also planned to build a theater nearby. Their idea was to create a whole city block for business and fun.
The Rialto Square Theatre was finished in 1926. But the brothers had trouble getting money for the hotel. Then, a real estate developer named Fred J. Walsh became interested. He helped raise money for the hotel by selling shares to people.
The Louis Joliet Hotel was one of the biggest buildings in downtown Joliet when it was finished in 1927. It had eight stories and 225 rooms. The building cost about $750,000 to build. Over $135,000 of that was just for the furniture!
What Was Inside the Hotel?
The first floor of the hotel had many shops. You could buy coffee, cigars, and newspapers. There was also a barber shop and a reading room. Outside the hotel, there were eleven more shops. The hotel even had its own parking garage and offered valet services for guests' cars.
Changes Over the Years
By the 1950s, people started preferring smaller, cheaper motels along highways. Big city hotels like the Louis Joliet Hotel became less popular.
In 1964, a group called the Active Order of Carmelites bought the hotel. They changed it into a nursing home. Later, in 1980, the building was updated again. It was used as a center for performing arts.
The Louis Joliet Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. This means it's a special building that is important to history. After that, it was changed into an apartment building, where people live today.
