Historic Hamilton Hotel building, St. Louis, Missouri.Photo byJakeh1111, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Now and then, I come across a historic building that grabs my attention because of its unique architecture and this is one of them. The architectural style of this building is Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals: Beaux-Arts. The architectural firm was the prominent Barnett, Haynes, and Barnett of St. Louis.

The historic Hamilton Hotel building is at 956 Hamilton Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri. On April 29, 2011, this building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, this property in Saint Louis’s West End neighborhood is known as the Hamilton Apartments.

Backstory

The Hamilton Hotel was constructed between 1902 and 1903. It served as an apartment hotel. This building serves as a great example of the Beaux-Arts style.

When the building was nominated for the National Register, it was one of four apartment hotel buildings designed by Barnett, Haynes, and Barnett still existing in St. Louis.

When the Hamilton Hotel opened, it was considered a very stylish residence for either short-term or long-term occupancy. It was also a lodging option for those attending the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis (Louisiana Purchase Exposition).

After the fair, the hotel served as a residential resource through the 1950s. In 1954, the building served as a convalescence center. In 1969, a three-story addition to the convalescent center opened, so more patients could be served.

Before the World's Fair event, there weren't a lot of lodging options in St. Louis on a large scale. As such, rapid construction took place to accommodate anticipated visitors.

Most of the new hotels were funded by individuals looking to profit through real estate development. On October 15, 1902, a building permit was issued to William F. Williamson to construct the Hamilton Hotel. He wasn't the only speculative builder in anticipation of the fair.

Construction of the hotel was completed by November 1903. The hotel was high-end and included modern conveniences, a telephone in each apartment, fancy parlors, private dining rooms, and so many amenities.

The hotel was eight blocks from the fairgrounds. It boasted a capacity of 1,000 people. Back then, the rates ran between $2 and $4 a day which would be $71 and $141 in today's dollars.

The red brick and cream buff-colored terra cotta received positive remarks. The first floor included the parlors and private dining rooms, a large reception hall, family rooms, a barber shop, offices, and bathrooms. The upper floors contained the suites.

The Hamilton Hotel also had an added feature of a roof garden. People who lived in the apartment hotel had free access to the garden. There also was a view of the World's Fair grounds from the garden. The Hamilton hosted banquets and events, and guests sang their praises of the hotel.

In 1954, the hotel building opened as the Hamilton Medical and Convalescent Center. It was a good resource for the neighborhood and community. Because the center was running out of operating space, a building permit was issued in 1967 to construct a three-story addition.

The convalescent center operated until the end of the 1970s. During the 1980s, the buildings reopened as the Hamilton Apartments which provides affordable housing in the West End neighborhood.

Thanks for reading!