Antlers Hotel, historic hotel building in Lorain, Ohio
The Antlers Hotel is a four-story building in Lorain, Ohio, built in 1922 in the Renaissance Revival style. Its tan brick facade features decorative stonework and terra cotta details, and it originally contained about 87 rooms, a large ballroom with stage and balcony, dining areas, a bar, and laundry facilities.
The hotel opened in 1922, built by the Elks Lodge Number 1301 as a social and business center for the city. From the 1950s onward, the construction of highways and new suburban motels drew travelers away, leading to its closure by the mid-1970s.
The name refers to the Elks Lodge that built and operated this hotel in 1922 as a gathering place for the community. The building served as the social heart of Lorain, where people came for dances, celebrations, and meetings that shaped the city's civic life.
The building sits at the corner of Washington Avenue and West Erie Avenue in downtown Lorain and is visible from the street. While the exterior remains intact and viewable, the interior is not accessible as it has been vacant for decades and suffered significant damage.
The building hosted one of the earliest meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous beginning in October 1941, marking an important moment in recovery history. After restoration, it reopened in 1986 as senior housing and remains well-occupied today.
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