Tiger Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tiger Hotel
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 Location in Missouri
Location in the United States
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| Location | 23 S. 8th St., Columbia, Missouri |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1928 |
| Architect | Gentry, Alonzo H. |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002316 |
| Added to NRHP | February 29, 1980 |
The Tiger Hotel is a famous hotel located in Columbia, Missouri. It first opened its doors in 1928 as a grand hotel. Over the years, this special building was also used as a place for older people to live (a retirement home) and a big hall for parties. In 1980, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a very important historical building.
In 2012, the Tiger Hotel was completely fixed up and opened again. Now, it's a fancy "boutique hotel." This means it's a smaller, stylish hotel with a unique design. Today, the Tiger Hotel is still a busy and beautiful place to stay. It even has a high "4-diamond rating," showing how great it is!
The Tiger Hotel's Story
Building a Landmark
In the 1920s, a famous architect named Alonzo H. Gentry designed the Tiger Hotel. The Simon Construction Company built it in 1928. When it first opened, it was the tallest building between Kansas City and St. Louis. People called it the first "skyscraper" in that area.
The hotel was very modern for its time. It had more than 100 rooms. It also had a working elevator and a cooling system. These features were very impressive back then! Because of its size and cool features, the Tiger Hotel quickly became well-known. The "Tiger" sign on top of the building became a symbol for the city of Columbia. It was also famous in the towns nearby.
Changes Over Time
Through the 1900s, the Tiger Hotel stayed a well-known building. However, it wasn't always easy for the hotel. Sometimes, the economy was tough, which affected businesses everywhere. Because of this, the hotel had different owners over the years. One owner even changed it into a "Motor Hotel." This was to better serve people who were traveling by car.
In 1987, the Tiger Hotel became a retirement community. This was a good way to use all the rooms and spaces in the building. Then, in 2011, the building was sold again. It went through a huge makeover! The people fixing it up kept many of its original cool parts. They also added modern designs and decorations. By 2014, the hotel offered 62 rooms and suites for guests.
