Historic Walking Tour - Hotel Corvallis
Significance
One of three remaining historic hotels in downtown Corvallis, the Hotel Corvallis is a fine example of Italian Renaissance architecture executed in brick with cast "stone" ornamentation. The building has functioned as a hotel since its opening in 1927. (Corvallis experienced considerable growth in the 1920's.) The hotel was built to replace the wooden Occidental building, thus continuing a hotel tradition in the locality since 1880. The location of the hotel is vital to the historic downtown core of Corvallis.
Physical Description
The Hotel Corvallis (80' x 100') was built in 1927 in the Italian Renaissance style of architecture. The four-story structure has a cement basement and the exterior walls and interior lobby walls are 6-8" thick reinforced concrete beam construction. Interior room divisions are wood frame. The building is faced with red rug brick. Apparently, the first floor exterior was originally exposed concrete and later it was faced with brick. Shop fronts on the ground floor have been altered over the years.
The flat-roofed building has a dentilled cornice and a wide frieze board with relief ornamentation fabricated from cast "artificial stone". Fleur-de-lis and arches with keystones are featured. On either side of each entrance to the hotel, is a bronze crest with the emblem "House of Cheer".
The multiple-paned double hung wood sash windows are interspersed by a colonnade of pilaster strips. Basket-weave brick panels are decorative features found beneath the windows. Windows have cornice heads, though end-wall windows have architrave trim. Black filigree grill-work is present in the west (front) facade of the second story. The original iron marquees remain over the front and north entrance doors.
Presently, the ground floor of the hotel contains shops, lobby, and office areas.
Historical Background
The Hotel Corvallis, the "House of Cheer", was built on the site of the 47-year old Occidental Hotel. The Occidental was a wood-frame structure which for years was Corvallis' main hotel. In 1918, the name was changed from Occidental to Hotel Corvallis. In 1927, two weeks time was allotted to tearing down the old hotel, which had "outlived its usefulness and should give place to a modern building".
The Occidental was built in 1879, and was apparently opened by 1880. Ads are first seen in the 1881 newspapers. The hotel proprietors were Youg and Polly, but at the end of two years, the business was sold to Canan and Giblin. Canan ran the hotel until his death. His widow, Mary Canan, continued the business until 1903, when she sold to M. R. Woodcock. At one point, Woodcock transferred the business to the First Mortgage Security Company.
Property owners on Second Street were instrumental in pushing the idea of building a new hotel. Apparently, a new company (with the same name) was then incorporated to erect the hotel. This company took title to the land and owned the hotel and the lots on which it is situated. At first, stockholders of the First Mortgage Security Company were hesitant about erecting a new hotel. They proceeded with plans once others who were interested in the condition of Second Street offered to help financially.
The Hotel Corvallis was designed by F. Manson White and built by local contractors, Heckart and Son. Fir lumber for the hotel construction was supplied by the Independent Lumber Company. The Builder's Supply Company supplied Portland cement, reinforcing steel, Columbia River sand, metal lath, and mortar colors. The mill work for the interior trim, coffee shop, and sash and doors were manufactured by the Buxton Planing Mill. Sheet metal work, gutters, flashing, roof, ventilation ducts and the marquees at each entrance were done by the U. S. Plumbing Company. Nicol and Lane did the plumbing and heating systems. These involved ice water circulation; Crane fixtures for plumbing; vapor steam heating plant, using Pacific boiler and American radiator; and Marquis sawdust burner. The electrical wiring and fixture installation was done by Witzig Electric Company. All of the companies which supplied building materials and services were local firms.
Originally, the basement of the hotel contained quarters for kitchen help, storage room for kitchen supplies, and the refrigeration plant. On the first floor were three store rooms, a lobby and a lounge. The lobby featured a big fireplace, over-stuffed furniture, buff tones on the walls and ceilings, art glass lighting fixtures, beamed ceilings, skylights, an elevator to the guest rooms, and a public stenographer. Also on the first floor were a coffee shop, dining room, five banquet rooms, kitchen, and bakery, all run by women employees. The chinaware, silverware and glassware were made to order and etched with the hotel crest. There was circulating ice water in every room. Also, there was an immense refrigeration capacity in the kitchen and built-in ice boxes in the kitchen and basement.
Each floor of the hotel (second, third and fourth) had 20 rooms. Forty of the total amount of rooms had baths. Big windows, fine furniture and comfortable beds with Simmons "Beauty Rest" mattresses were featured. The natural linen bedspreads and the towels were interwoven with the hotel crest. The Corvallis Hotel was the first in the northwest to install grip and trunk stands large enough for guests to sit on, upholstered in the finest mohair. The rooms also featured curtains, drapes, carpets, large clothes closets, desks, chairs, and stands.
The hotel was furnished by Meier and Frank of Portland. When new, the hotel was leased to W. C. Culbertson, an experienced hotel man from Portland. W. D. McNair was the resident manager. Of interest, is the fact that all Southern Pacific Motor Stages and buses stopped at the hotel entrance.
The new hotel had its grand opening on November 18-19, 1927. A reception, concert by the Oregon Agricultural College Band, and an orchestra were featured. Also, bibles were placed in each room by the Gideons of the Christian Commercial Travelers.
Opening with the Corvallis Hotel, were Konick's Jewelry, Doc Lawton's barber shop, Western Union telegraph office, and the Golden Pheasant Restaurant. Konick's Jewelry had walnut cases and panels, plate glass shelves, English linoleum floors (resembling marble) and a diamond room (the first of its kind in Corvallis). The barber shop had 4 Koen white barber chairs, many mirrors, and flooring that looked like mottled marble.
(An interesting note: In 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy stayed at the hotel during his presidential campaign.)
Sources Consulted
- Corvallis Daily Gazette-Times, "Opening of New Hotel Corvallis", November 17, 1927.
- Corvallis Gazette-Times, "Hotel Corvallis is Assured Fact", February 2, 1927.
- Corvallis Gazette-Times, "House of Cheer' Ready for Guests", November 17, 1927.
- Corvallis Sanborn Maps, 1927.
