The Roosevelt Inn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Roosevelt School
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The Roosevelt School circa 1910
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 Location in Idaho
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1st and Wallace Streets, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | George Williams |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000676 |
| Added to NRHP | July 30, 1976 |
The Roosevelt Inn is a special place in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, a city in northern Idaho. It wasn't always an inn! This historic building was first built in 1905 as the Roosevelt School. Today, it's recognized as an important historic site on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1994, it was changed into the cozy inn we see today.
Contents
From School to Inn: The Roosevelt Building's Journey
This section explores how the Roosevelt building changed over time. It started as a school, then became offices, and finally, a welcoming inn.
Early Days as Roosevelt School
The building opened in 1905 as an elementary school. It taught students from first to sixth grade. The school mainly served families living in the city center. Sometimes, two grades even shared one classroom! It also helped with extra students from the high school.
As Coeur d'Alene grew, the school stopped teaching fifth and sixth graders in 1945. It continued as a school until 1971. That's when a bigger, more modern school was built. The original bell tower on the school was damaged in a big windstorm in 1958. It wasn't fully fixed until 1994.
Changes After the School Closed
After the school closed, the Board of Education used the building. They stored books and other items there until 1979. In 1979, a person named Jonas Marias bought the building. He decided to turn the old Roosevelt School into an office building.
During this change, a third floor was added to the building. This meant the tall 18-foot ceilings became shorter, about 10 feet high. You can still see how new bricks were added on the front of the building. These bricks were put there to line up with the new windows.
The Roosevelt Inn Today
This part tells you about the Roosevelt Inn now. It shares how it became a bed and breakfast and some cool things that have happened there.
Becoming a Bed and Breakfast
The building was used as an office space from 1982 to 1992. Then, it was changed into a bed and breakfast. It officially opened its doors as an inn in 1994.
Tina and John Hough bought the inn in 1999. They are the current owners and innkeepers. Fun fact: John Hough actually went to the Roosevelt School when he was a kid! He attended from first to fourth grade. The Roosevelt Inn now has fifteen rooms and is accessible for wheelchairs.
Recent Updates and TV Appearance
In 2000, the old bell tower was renovated. It became a special two-story suite with amazing views of Lake Coeur d'Alene. Later, in 2008, the basement of the school was updated. It became a banquet hall and meeting room. This space can hold up to 50 people for events.
In 2012, the Roosevelt Inn was featured on a TV show! It appeared in the final episode of season one of the Fox show Hotel Hell. The famous chef Gordon Ramsay helped with renovations. These changes included the honeymoon suite, the reception area, and much of the inn's decor.
