Abbott Hotel (Gone)
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Dennis Dixson
The signs at Abbott Hotel in Chicago advertised “Color TV” and “Free TV and Air.” Those were once good reasons to choose a room, and the lettering gave this Belmont Avenue building plenty of personality. No streaming password required.
Located in Lakeview rather than downtown, Abbott served travelers and long-term residents. An apartment investor purchased the property in 2012, and renovation began in 2013 after the remaining residents relocated. The project transformed the old hotel’s interior while retaining the building.
UPDATE: The former Abbott now contains renovated studio apartments. Its classic signs and entrance overhang were removed around 2013. The building survives, but the roadside promises of television and air conditioning no longer announce it along Belmont. 07-26
New Jackson Hotel (Gone)
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Alan Culley
The blade sign at New Jackson Hotel gave Chicago’s Jackson Boulevard a familiar old-hotel welcome. Hanging near the corner, its neon lettering had the kind of presence that made modest lodging easy to recognize. It was worth looking up before continuing down the block. 07-07
Chicago’s historic-building survey dates the Italianate structure to 1879, rather than the previously reported 1878. At Halsted and Jackson, it stood along an early Route 66 alignment and later served single-room-occupancy residents as the surrounding neighborhood changed.
UPDATE: The former hotel survives as renovated apartments with ground-floor commercial space. Its vintage neon sign has been removed. The building continues in residential use, but the New Jackson name no longer hangs above the sidewalk welcoming overnight guests. 07-26
Elkton Hotel (Gone)
Quincy, IL Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The neon at Elkton Hotel gave downtown Quincy, Illinois, a bright lodging landmark. The five-story building also housed The Patio Restaurant, making it possible to find a room and a charcoal-grilled steak under the same roof. That sounds like a pretty convenient evening. 09-08
Completed in 1924 as the Elks Club, the building later became a hotel. The Patio opened in 1959 in former club space, building a following for steaks and fried chicken. Conversion to apartments was underway by 2010, before the December 2014 fire.
Like many downtown hotels, the Elkton eventually outlived its days as a place for overnight travelers. Fortunately, the building itself survived and has continued serving the community in a different role.
UPDATE: The Hotel Elkton will no longer be a hotel as its being converted into apartments. With the conversion, the hotel lobby no longer has its 24-hour desk postions. The Patio Restaurant which is on the first floor will remain open for busieness. The hotel will now be referred to as the Elkton Apartments. For more information about this converstion to apartments, see this website. 12-10
UPDATE: The Hotel Elkton was home to a five-alarm fire iin December 2014. Fortunately, the fire was contained to one apartment. For more information about the fire, see here. 12-14
Plaza Hotel (Demolished)
Gary, IN Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi
Here's the Plaza Hotel in Gary, IN. By the time these photos were taken, the hotel had clearly seen better days, but it still had plenty of character. The corner view really shows how it blended into an entire block of old downtown buildings that once made this part of the city a much busier place. 10-08
The Plaza Hotel dates back to Gary's early years and served travelers for decades before eventually falling vacant. In its later years, part of the building found a new purpose as the home of God's House of Prayer church.
Movie fans might recognize the hotel as well. It appeared in the 1996 film Original Gangstas, starring Gary native Fred Williamson along with Pam Grier, Jim Brown, and Richard Roundtree. The worn-down streets and aging buildings made Gary a fitting backdrop for the film.
Plaza Hotel
Gary, IN Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi
Even in its final years, the Plaza Hotel still looked like it had a few stories left to tell. Buildings like this gave downtown Gary plenty of personality, even after most of the guests had long since checked out.
UPDATE: Sadly, the Plaza Hotel was destroyed after a major fire and partial collapse in December 2013. The remaining structure was demolished shortly afterward, and the old hotel is now gone. 07-26
Fort Barbee Hotel (Closed)
St Marys, OH Photo courtesy Alan Culley
The old Fort Barbee Hotel in St. Marys, Ohio, kept a reminder of its lodging days out front even after guests became residents. Its vintage sign suited the substantial downtown building, giving passing visitors a reason to stop and look. 02-09
Originally known as Fountain Hotel, the building dates to 1889—not 1921 as previously reported. Its name referred to a nearby spring converted into a fountain. A 1990s renovation adapted the upper floors for senior housing, and the property joined the National Register in December 1997.
UPDATE: The building continues serving senior residents, with storefronts below. The old neon sign’s present condition remains unconfirmed. The hotel business has ended, but the preserved building still provides a home in downtown St. Marys. 07-26
Harbor House Hotel (Demolished)
Sault Ste Marie, MI Photo courtesy Alan Culley
The weathered Harbor House Hotel had plenty of character along Portage Avenue in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Its wooden exterior and rooftop sign recalled an earlier generation of travelers. A recent sale left its future uncertain when this view was taken. 12-08
Built in the 1880s, it first operated as New Bay City House, later becoming Hickler House and then Harbor House. Locals remembered its downstairs Happy Hideaway tavern as the “Bomb Shelter.” Stories of unexplained happenings even brought paranormal investigators inside.
UPDATE: Purchased in June 2023, the building was subsequently judged unsafe and beyond practical repair. It was demolished that year, taking the rooftop sign with it. The long history of lodging, music, and basement drinks ended at this familiar waterfront corner. 07-26
Abbott Hotel (Gone)
Plaza Hotel (Demolished)
Plaza Hotel
Fort Barbee Hotel (Closed)
Harbor House Hotel (Demolished)
