Hotel Fontenelle

Infobox Historic building
name=Hotel Fontenelle


caption=The Hotel Fontenelle in Downtown Omaha.
map_type=
latitude=
longitude=
location_town=Omaha, Nebraska
location_country=United States
architect=Thomas Rogers Kimball
client=Gurdon W. Wattles
engineer=
construction_start_date=1914
completion_date=1915
date_demolished=1983
cost=$1,000,000
structural_system=
style=Late Gothic Revival
size=

Hotel Fontenelle was an upscale commercial hotel once located at 1806 Douglas Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Designed by noted architect Thomas Rogers Kimball in the Late Gothic Revival style, it was built in 1914 and demolished in 1983. It was named for Logan Fontenelle, a well-known chief of the Omaha Tribe. [Gerber, K. and Spencer, J.S. (2003) "Architecture for the Ages." Landmarks, Inc. p. 35.]

For many years it was the flagship of hotel magnate Gene Eppley's Eppley Hotel Company, which in the 1950s was the largest privately held hotel company in the US. He operated 22 units in six states. Eppley lived in the hotel after buying it in 1920, and died there in 1958. He had sold his hotel empire to the Sheraton Corporation, for thirty million dollars. The hotel remained in operation as the Sheraton-Fontenelle until 1970. That year it was abruptly closed due to changing economic conditions in Downtown Omaha. It remained empty until being demolished in 1983, when the site became a parking lot. [Dalstrom, H.A. (1969) "Eugene C. Eppley: His Life and Legacy." Johnsen Press.]

History

The Fontenelle was opened in 1915. Costing $1,000,000 to build, the building was designed by Kimball for the Douglas Hotel Company and its president, Gurdon W. Wattles. Originally fifteen stories, it was later expanded to 18, with a main entrance on Douglas Street. The building had 350 guest rooms decorated in an English style, with marble floors, mahogany paneling and richly decorated lobbies, dining rooms and hallways throughout. The main banquet room featured five crystal chandeliers, lighting seating for as many as 500 seats. [Gerber, K. and Spencer, J.S. (2003) "Architecture for the Ages." Landmarks, Inc. p. 35.]

It was operated by the Douglas Hotel Company until 1920, after which it was acquired by Eppley. The center of Omaha society, the hotel was the site of numerous civic events, weddings and conventions. These included the founding of the Girl Scout movement in Omaha. [ [http://www.gpgirlscouts.org/history.htm History] , Great Plains Girl Scouts Council. Retrieved 2/2/08.] a national women's bowling tournament, [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,848587-1,00.html Congress, Inc.] "Time magazine." May 13, 1936. Retrieved 2/2/08.] and lectures by Willa Cather and other nationally known authors. [ [http://cather.unl.edu/writings/bohlke/interviews/1921e.html 1921 Interview] , University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Retrieved 2/2/08.]

Its restaurants included the Bombay Room, Black Mirror Room and King Cole Room. The hotel's sale in 1956 as part of the Eppley chain to the Sheraton Corporation was part of the second largest hotel sale in United States history. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,866996,00.html "Closing the gap,"] "Time magazine" June 4, 1956. Retrieved 6/15/08.] After the acquisition by Sheraton the Fontenelle continued to be a popular destination for social events. However, as the city grew westward, the hotel faded in popularity and was closed in 1970. Over the next twenty years, the hotel stood empty while a variety of proposals for renovating it were proposed. It was demolished in 1983. [ [http://www.danlangdon.com/The%20Hotel%20Fontenelle.htm The Hotel Fontenelle] . Retrieved 2/2/08.]

Notable guests

The Fontenelle hosted many celebrities and politicians through the years, including President Harry S. Truman, [ [http://trumanlibrary.org/photographs/search.php?access=selectbydate&date=1948-06-05&page=1&labeldate=&resultsorder=keywords Truman Library photographs] , Truman Library. Retrieved 2/2/08.] who was a personal friend of Gene Eppley. Senator John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline stayed there during his campaign for the 1960 Presidential election. [Dalstrom, H.A. (1969) "Eugene C. Eppley: His Life and Legacy." Johnsen Press.]

ee also

* History of Omaha

References

External links

* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~neresour/OLLibrary/OUATNE/pics/hotel.jpgHistoric image]
* [http://www.dwhm.org/documents/HotelFontenelle.pdf Lesson plan on the Hotel Fontenelle] from the Durham Western Heritage Museum
* [http://www.danlangdon.com/images/fontext.jpgExterior photo]
* [http://www.danlangdon.com/images/fontlobbytruman.jpgInterior photo]
* [http://www.danlangdon.com/images/fontenelleballroom.jpgBallroom photo]