Hotel Fontenelle, once a grand hotel in Omaha, Nebraska
Hotel Fontenelle was an eighteen-story hotel in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, with around 350 guest rooms and a facade featuring decorative stonework and tall windows in a European style. It stood at a prominent corner of the city center and was one of the tallest buildings in Omaha at the time of its opening.
Construction began in 1914 and the hotel opened on February 26, 1915, during a period of urban growth in Omaha. After decades of operation, the building was demolished in 1983.
For decades, the hotel was a gathering spot for Omaha's social life, hosting banquets, receptions, and public events that drew both locals and visitors. Its name honors Logan Fontenelle, a mixed-heritage interpreter for the Omaha Tribe who was a notable figure in 19th-century relations between the tribe and the US government.
The building no longer exists, as it was demolished in 1983, and the downtown Omaha site has since been redeveloped. Visitors interested in its story can find photographs and records through local historical archives and libraries.
The hotel served as the headquarters for Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 presidential campaign in Nebraska. Baseball legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig both stayed there, as did President Harry S. Truman, who had a personal friendship with one of the hotel's owners.
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