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