Hotel Fontenelle was an upscale hotel located at 1806 Douglas Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska . Designed by noted architect Thomas Rogers Kimball in the Late Gothic Revival style, it opened in 1915 and was demolished in 1983. It was named after Logan Fontenelle , an interpreter for the Omaha Tribe when it ceded land to the U.S. government which became the city of Omaha.
31-518: The Fontenelle opened on February 15, 1915. Costing $ 1 million to build, it was funded largely by citizen subscribers, which was a common method for financing hotels at the time. The building was designed by Thomas Kimball for the Douglas Hotel Company and its president, Gurdon W. Wattles . The building had 350 guest rooms decorated in an English style, and public areas appointed with marble floors and mahogany paneling. The Fontenelle
62-479: A consultant, having stopped working as an active architect. Kimball's success could not survive the Great Depression , which hurt him financially. He died a pauper in 1934. Upon his death, partner William L. Steele remarked that Kimball "did not...as the majority of his contemporaries did, absorb a repertoire of French tricks and come home. He studied architecture as building , not as merely drawings of
93-863: A curiosity in 1890s Omaha, since he had been educated in the East and had studied architecture both in the United States and in France. Kimball began attracting many high-profile projects in Omaha, including St. Philomena's Cathedral and the Burlington Train Station . In 1893, some of his architectural plans were shown in Chicago at the World Columbian Exposition . The 1898 Trans Mississippi and International Exposition
124-690: A journalist for an amateur newspaper while in Ohio. In 1859, he wrote a series of articles about the Western United States and the Pennsylvania Railroad Company . This attracted the interest of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, which subsequently hired him in 1860. Kimball worked as a passenger agent for the railroad until 1871. Thomas A. Scott , an associate of Kimball, was elected as
155-474: A main building and nothing else," Batie said. The buildings were constructed of strips of wood covered with staff , which was a mixture of plaster and horsehair. They were temporary by design, built at about half the cost of permanent buildings. The lower cost allowed the construction of larger structures. Kimball was already successful, but his Exhibition work made him even more so. Kimball won commissions for major new projects, such as St. Cecilia Cathedral and
186-616: A notable architect in the Omaha area, designing buildings such as the Omaha Public Library , with his fame eventually eclipsing that of his father. Frances Kimball married George Ward Holdrege , another prominent railroad executive. In July 1899, Kimball fell while walking around his property in Omaha. He suffered from his injuries for about two weeks, before dying unexpectedly of heart failure on October 9, 1899. Kimball, Nebraska , and surrounding Kimball County, Nebraska , were both named after Kimball. The city of Kimball
217-702: A well-known architect. Thomas Lord Kimball was born on a farm in Buxton, Maine , on October 1, 1831. His grandfather, Joshua Kimball, fought in the American Revolutionary War , while his father, Amos Kimball, fought in the War of 1812 . After the war, Amos married Johanna Currier, and moved to Buxton to begin farming. Kimball grew up in Buxton, living with his parents. Sources disagree on how Kimball spent his teenage years. According to an 1888 profile in
248-925: The Daily True American and a biography in History of Omaha from the Pioneer Days to the Present Time (1889), Kimball lived with his parents until the age of seventeen, at which point he studied academically until the age of twenty-one, and taught school during his summer vacations. On the contrary, his biographies in History of the City of Omaha, Nebraska and South Omaha (1894) and in Omaha: The Gate City and Douglas County Nebraska (1917) claim that he had planned to attend college at
279-684: The Fontenelle Hotel in Omaha, and the Electricity Building at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. By 1918, he had gained tremendous stature among his peers and was elected national president of the American Institute of Architects , an office he held until 1920. Kimball was involved in many architecture-related activities, including supervision of the 1920 design contest that selected Bertram Goodhue as architect of
310-655: The Nebraska State Capitol . In 1927, Kimball went into a partnership with architects William L. Steele (1875–1949) and Josiah D. Sandham (1880–1969) to form the firm Kimball, Steele, and Sandham. Among other commissions, the firm designed the Second Church of Christ Scientist (Minneapolis, 1930) and with George B. Prinz were associate architects on the Federal Office Building (Omaha, 1933). However, Kimball functioned primarily as
341-491: The Sheraton-Fontenelle and continued to be a popular destination for social events. Sheraton sold the hotel, along with seventeen other aging properties, to Gotham Hotels in 1968 and it regained its original name. The hotel was headquarters for Senator Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 Democratic Nebraska primary campaign. The hotel closed on February 28, 1971. It had faded in popularity as the city grew westward , and
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#1732787825372372-638: The Trans-Mississippi Exposition in Omaha in 1898, he served as national President of the American Institute of Architects from 1918 to 1920 and from 1919 to 1932 served on the Nebraska State Capitol Commission. Kimball was credited with pursuing 871 commissions including designing 167 new residential buildings and 162 new non-residential structures. The National Register of Historic Places received nomination forms for 42 of Kimball’s works. In 1905 he
403-548: The School of Architecture. Kimball continued at the Cowles Art School of Boston then moved to Paris where he spent a year studying art at L'Ecole des Beaux Arts under notable tutors such as Henri Harpingnies . Returning to Boston in 1888, Kimball along with Henry D. Bates established Technology Architectural Review , a publication of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Architectural Society. As reported in
434-714: The age of sixteen, but was ill for a period of two years, preventing him from doing so, and makes no mention of him teaching school during his summers, instead claiming that he worked at a jewelry firm based in Saco, Maine , (though most of his work at the firm was done in Biddeford, Maine ). After touring the American West in 1856, he and his wife moved to the Western Reserve area of Ohio in 1857, before moving to Cincinnati in 1859. Kimball initially worked as
465-555: The assistant of Union Pacific's first vice president Thomas J. Potter who died on March 9, 1888, after which Kimball became the third vice president of the company. Kimball also represented Union Pacific in the Union Depot Company, a partnership between Union Pacific and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad to build union stations in downtown Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa . Kimball eventually served as
496-593: The bonds. Regarding this, the Omaha World-Herald criticized Kimball in 1892 for siding with the interests of Union Pacific over those of the city of Omaha. The company lost its cases in court, and was eventually liquidated in 1897. Kimball left Union Pacific in 1897 when the company went into receivership . In 1854, Kimball married Mary Porter Rogers, the daughter of Nathaniel Peabody Rogers . They had four children, including Thomas Rogers Kimball and Frances Kimball. Thomas Rogers Kimball became
527-603: The buildings. He seemed to have acquired at an early age that grasp of fundamental principles which was to keep him from being stampeded by passing fads." In 2017, Kimball was inducted as the 26th member of the Nebraska Hall of Fame . In 2019, a bust of his likeness was created by John Lajba for that hall of fame. On June 25, 2019, the Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects awarded its first and, to date, only honorary architect license to Kimball. The board
558-424: The company, before moving to Omaha, Nebraska , in 1871 to work for Union Pacific . From there, he climbed the ranks, eventually being promoted to the position of vice-president. Kimball retired in 1897 and died in 1899. In 1888, Kimball County, Nebraska , was formed and named after Kimball. While Kimball was a prominent figure in Omaha, eventually his fame was eclipsed by his son Thomas Rogers Kimball , who became
589-576: The first issue, "The REVIEW - the first essay of its kind by architectural students in America - will aim to call attention to and emphasize the resources of classical architecture, and its usefulness as a basis for all design." The following year, Kimball married Annie Lydia McPhail in Boston. In 1891, Kimball formed an architectural firm with MIT instructor C. Howard Walker and architect Herbert Best. Best soon retired. Walker remained in Boston to run
620-419: The office there; Kimball moved back to Omaha and opened an office. Both operated under the name Walker and Kimball . In 1892, Kimball was commissioned to design a public library building in Omaha. Although Kimball had been able to get the job through connections established by his father, railroad executive Thomas Lord Kimball , the younger Kimball was in fact well qualified for the work. He was also something of
651-656: The park and designed the Arch of the States, the Administration Building, Transportation Building, and the Boys' and Girls' Building. Thomas Lord Kimball Thomas Lord Kimball (October 1, 1831 – October 9, 1899) was an American railroad executive. Born in Buxton, Maine , he worked various jobs before becoming an agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in 1860. He was appointed to various positions in
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#1732787825372682-563: The president of the Union Pacific Railroad in March 1871. Scott appointed Kimball as the general passenger and ticket agent of Union Pacific, and Kimball moved to Omaha, Nebraska . Kimball served various roles at Union Pacific. After ten years as the general passenger and ticket agent, he became an assistant general manager. After four years in that role, he became the general traffic manager. On September 1, 1887 Kimball became
713-472: The president of the Union Depot Company. He faced some controversy in this role. In 1890, voters in the city of Omaha had approved $ 150,000 in bonds to build the union depot. However, after Union Pacific acted to block the Milwaukee and Rock Island railroads from entering the city, Ernest Stuht filed suit against the city of Omaha, many of its officials, the Union Depot Company, and Kimball, seeking to block
744-545: The structure's condition was also deteriorating. Many attempts were made to redevelop the Fontenelle as it stood empty over the next twelve years, but it was eventually demolished in the spring of 1983. The site is now the parking lot of the Roman L. Hruska Federal Courthouse. The Fontenelle hosted many celebrities and politicians through the years, including Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, as well as President Harry S. Truman , who
775-403: Was a World's Fair-like event in Omaha that required the construction of many buildings. Kimball and Walker were named co-architects-in-chief for the event. The two men were responsible for the overall site development, including perimeter buildings. They designed several major buildings, some smaller structures and the Arch of States (a main entrance). "The other 'name' architects who were there did
806-504: 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 . 41°15′34″N 95°56′20″W / 41.25932°N 95.93895°W / 41.25932; -95.93895 Thomas Rogers Kimball Thomas Rogers Kimball (April 19, 1862 – September 7, 1934) was an American architect in Omaha, Nebraska . An architect-in-chief of
837-654: Was created on August 16, 1937, almost three years after Kimball's death, so Kimball never had the opportunity to become a licensed architect in his home state. Kimball also designed the original Omaha World-Herald building, the First National Bank in Grand Island and the Hastings, Nebraska Railroad Station. At the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition he prepared the layout for
868-1023: Was invited to judge the San Francisco Custom House competition. Kimball served as architectural adviser to commissions responsible for erection of the Missouri and Nebraska state capitols, the Kansas City Liberty Memorial , and the Indiana War Memorial in Indianapolis, and was a member of the national council of fine arts established by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt to evaluate all plans for public buildings, monuments, and statutes. Born April 19, 1862, in Linwood, Cincinnati , Ohio, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska with his parents Thomas Lord Kimball and Mary Porter Rogers Kimball when he
899-560: Was nine. Kimball attended Central High School until 1878 when he enrolled at the University of Nebraska Latin School (former University of Nebraska-Lincoln prep school) for two years. Next, Kimball went to Boston , where he worked with a private tutor for two years. He then entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study architecture until 1887. He did not graduate but was later given an affiliation with
930-447: Was operated by the Douglas Hotel Company until 1920, after which it was acquired by hotel magnate Gene Eppley , becoming the flagship of his Eppley Hotel Company , which in the 1950s was the largest privately held hotel company in the US. Eppley operated 22 units in six states and lived in the Fontenelle after buying it in 1920, and died there in 1958. The center of Omaha society, the hotel
961-459: Was the site of numerous civic events, weddings and conventions. These included the founding of the Girl Scout movement in Omaha. a national women's bowling tournament, and lectures by Willa Cather and other nationally known authors. Eppley sold his hotel empire to Sheraton Hotels , for $ 30 million in 1956. It was the second-largest hotel sale in United States history. The hotel became