Hotel Munroe Annex

This week I begin posting the articles from the second year of "Historic Impressions" Seth Magosky's feature articles highlighting the history and architecture of Joliet, Illinois. Seth was assembling these articles into a second book at the time of his death. Now they are being presented here. They will be presented weekly with new photographs and updates.

Hotel Munroe Annex
Chicago Street between Cass and Clinton Streets

Why it's important: The Hotel Munroe Annex is one of the few Romanesque
stone buildings left in downtown Joliet. It also is a rare surviving 19th century hotel structure in the city.

Style: The Hotel Munroe Annex is an example of the Richardsonian
Romanesque style. This style is seen in the heavy coarse faced stone and arch-top windows. The style also is seen in the heavy parapet across the top with decorative stone elements.

The history: The Hotel Munroe building is located on Chicago Street in the middle of the block between Cass and Clinton streets. The original structure was built in 1884, according to designs by local architect Orrin Johnson. The structure greatly resembled the Munroe Building which housed the Barrett Hardware store only a block down. The Munroe Building burned down in 1905.

The hotel was the first major commercial structure built along Chicago
Street. The original structure was small, and as the city grew, so did
the need to expand the hotel.

In the late 19th century, the Munroe brothers expanded to the rear across the alley and built this fine stone structure. Since the two buildings were on separate streets, there was no need to carry the same style across.

The annex was linked to the original through a second floor walkway. The structure has been severely remodeled during the past few decades and was even clad in a plain steel facade which recently has been removed.

The original hotel was torn down in the 1950s.

Details: The Hotel Munroe Annex is a quite simple and straightforward
Romanesque design. The first floor, like so many of the period, has been drastically altered in recent decades. Originally, a hotel entrance with flanking stores was in the center. This arrangement was eliminated when the major alterations to the floor plan were made.

To the right of the main entry and windows is a pass-through to the alley. This simple tunnel type structure was used to allow the maximum building on the site and maximum frontage while still allowing access to the alley.

The upper level of the structure shows all of the fine original stone
work. There are an abundance of arch-top windows and beautiful stone
work. Between the double windows are the original decorated mullions. These are extremely nice decorative features which stand out against the more severe stone.

Along the west wall of the structure is a large opening where the second story connector was located. This is the large open area filled in with block. This would have allowed the guests to cross from the main hotel entrance on Chicago Street to the new set of rooms.

The people: The Hotel Munroe was constructed by the Munroe brothers, Edwin and George Jr., along with their father, George. The hotel was constructed by this family, which had earlier established a thriving grocery business.

The Hotel Munroe was one of the keystones of a family fortune that
included other commercial structures and one of the largest and most
profitable real estate firms in Joliet. The brothers lived side by side in grand mansions on Cass Street near Spring Creek.

Today: Today the Hotel Munroe Annex contains offices and is undergoing a facelift. The plain steel front that has covered the beautiful stone
facade has only just this past month been removed in the first stage of
bringing the hidden Joliet gem back to life.

Henry Pipens of Lemont recently bought the building, which was known for many years as the Relyea Building, with plans to restore it.

The Allen Influence

I am constantly amazed by new web posts and new material being scanned and added to the World Wide Web on a daily basis. In digging around on the Allen family of Galesburg, Il, I have discovered some remarkable history.

First, Sheldon W. Allen lived in Oneida, NY. Historians and sociology students will all recall the Oneida Colonies and their significance in American History. Then, Sheldon had a son, believed to be the first white baby born in Knox County.

Local History sites note Sheldon to have been quite wealthy as an investor and developer as well as staunchly opposed to slavery and offering support and shelter to those seeking refuge. There is subdivision that bears his name in Galesburg and Allen's Ave. is yet another reminder.

Sheldon O. Allen, is noted to have installed the first electric street lights in Galesburg after working with none other than George Westinghouse on lighting for the Columbian Exposition World's Fair in Chicago where Galesburg was well represented by the work of the Ferris Family with the gigantic Ferris Wheel towering over the Midway. Ferris St. runs almost kiddy corner across town from Allen's Ave. Is it any wonder that items once displayed at the fair made it into the collection of F. S. Allen

Another member of the Ferris family lived in West Park or Bush Park in Joliet. F. S. Allen is believed to have designed his Arts & Crafts style home and was also appointed commissioner of West Park in 1904.

Also of note, the obituary lists F.S. Allen as a 'car builder' in Chicago. A new lead to research.

Finally, I will be launching a parallel blog to this site, following the history of a fishing camp in Canada. Stay tuned for more information.

Status

Well, we keep on moving. Photos being taken, editing being completed, a new house that was not seen in an article before, vintage photographs and a comprehensive index are all coming in book ii.

Happy New Year

Six Degrees of History

Making connections through historical documents brings such a sense of joy at times. For fans of F.S. Allen, and no this will not be an Allen fan page, through a series of connections we begin to see how well-connected the man was prior to his scandal-driven downfall.

According to an article in the L.A. Times, he was brought to Pasadena to "oversee modifications and decorating.." of the home of Col. John Lambert, for whom he had designed a home in Joliet. Considering the home was a Greene & Greene design, this is interesting.

Col. Lambert served as an officer at U.S. Steel until a financial scandal which lead him to resign along with John W. "Bet-A-Million" Gates, founder of U.S. Steel and Texaco. I have long heard stories of the connections that ran through Joliet and even my own family. Marcus Krakar, an ancestor on my father's side, had Mr. Allen design his brownstone on Hickory Street.

This all puts some very interesting spin on the stories. Also consider that F. S. Allen was a silent partner in the high class Alexander and Oviatt Men's Shop in L.A. that served many of Hollywood's elite. They would commission the construction of what many consider L.A.'s first true Art Deco skyscraper with extensive work by Rene Lalique. Interestingly enough the building, completed in 1928, is noted to have Romanesque overtones. As Romanesque stylings are a hallmark of Mr. Allen's work in Joliet where his career took off with commissions that put him on the national stage and where he built the connections that lead him west.

But what about the book?

Yes, this is still about Historic Impressions, Volume II. Editing continues and my trusty accomplice Heather is toting a camera in her car wherever real estate showings lead her. Sorry, I won't be able to make the Holiday deadline, but I am hoping for a spring time release.

Have faith and we'll see you soon.

C

Looking for the family of F.S. Allen

Well, it seems some folks have found my little blog here. It also seems I am not the only one tracking the career of Mr. F.S. Allen, aka Frank S. Allen or Frank Shaver Allen architect and engineer, latter day music store owner and investor.

I have been contacted by another researcher, though he is more concerned with Mr. Allen's later investments.

I remember the day I met Nancy Allen Wolfe, the daughter of the late architect. She said I looked as though I'd seen a ghost. I was in my late teens or early 20's and had spent my entire life tagging along after my parents as they searched for clues to the life and career of this man. We drove to Streator, Illinois and listened to stories told by an aging librarian who had the Allen home in Streator carved into a stamp for his stationary and was known as the keeper of The Castle. We drove to Galesburg or Knox, where we drove down the street counting addresses looking for a house, only to find where the sought address should be, there were train tracks...


I learned a lot during these trips; For a college town, Galesburg had very few fast food outlets in the 80's. People usually look a little sideways at folks from out of town taking random pictures of interesting looking houses. Abstract titles can make fascinatig reading, if you can get past the flowery script of the 19th century.

However, I was usually just along for the ride. To some, I seem to have some knowledge of a lot of odd facts. Compared to my late brother, I know nothing. He had a mind for odd facts and a way of making connections and putting things together. In the days after his death, I was contacted by a descendant of Mr. Allen who called Seth's house. We had a nice conversation about Victorian homes, the movie industry and the quest for whatever happened to Mr. A.

Sadly, like so many of those conversations in the spring of 2007, details are sparse and clouded. I had a phone number, or maybe not. So my request here, if you are or if you know a relative of the man described as a "giant man with boundless energy" I'm looking for you and so are others. Please contact this blogger. Confidentiality is assured if you seek it. I may be able to get you some information for your search as well.

Thanks,
Cean

Shocking News

For those in the Joliet area, I have found a bit of news that in today's world may not be quite so shocking, but in historical context changed the life and ended the illustrious career of one of our notable locals.

I tripped over a real estate listing for a home in Altadena, California designed by our friend and local architectural legend F.S. Allen, architect of Joliet Township High School (central), Christ Church and many residences in the 1800's. I grew up in Mr. Allen's home in Joliet and have visited his home in Streator. We knew he left Joliet in 1904 and moved to Pasadena and died in 1930 but his career rather abruptly ends arond 1910. There were stories he retired to run a music store, but the lingering question was why.

Well, I gained a lot of insight into his work there, including tying him to famous design team Greene and Greene. I also found out why his career came to a rather abrupt halt. A piece of research commissioned by the listing agent from Building Biographers turned up a rather uncomfortable scandal involving a young boy who had gone missing for some time. There was a charge of moral corruption but no legal charges ever held. Nonetheless, Mr. Allen's career and marriage did not survive. By 1920 he would be listed as a salesman for sound machines, then listed as divorced.

His grand estate would be developed, though the home survives, albeit heavily modified.

C

happy birthday

Seth's birthday was Friday the 30th of October. He was a fan of Halloween, as he was all holidays or any chance to decorate. The message at church was extremely timely and poignant. Many of the sermons are posted at the website. Check out www.shepherdofthehill.com and go to weekly sermons. The church is also on Facebook (imagine that). I may have to suck it up and go there myself.

Edits are coming along and my cohort, Heather, is chomping at the bit to start photo op's.

Happy November to all and check back soon....