Franklin Hotel, historic building in Kent, Ohio, U.S
The Franklin Hotel is a five-story neoclassical building with a brick exterior, stone accents, and large arched windows located on Main Street. Built in 1920, the hotel originally contained fifty guest rooms, a grand lobby with marble stairs, a ballroom, a restaurant, a billiard room, and a barbershop serving various social and business functions.
The Franklin Hotel was built in 1920 following World War I to meet Kent's growing need for larger lodging accommodations. Designed by architect H.L. Stevens, it replaced smaller boarding houses and became a symbol of the town's modernization and development during that era.
The Franklin Hotel served as a gathering place for local organizations, university events, and community celebrations throughout its early decades. The name honors Franklin Mills, the original name of Kent, connecting the building to the town's identity and past.
The building is located at a corner on Main Street and is easily accessible on foot for viewing from the street. After comprehensive restoration from 2012 to 2013, it now operates as Acorn Corner with restaurants, a wine bar, offices, and residential apartments housed within.
Visitors often overlook that the building was financed through community efforts to replace overcrowded boarding houses that once dominated the town. The construction represented a major civic investment in modernization and local pride during the early 1920s.
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