Mineola Hotel, old hotel building in Fox Lake, Illinois, USA
The Mineola Hotel is a four-story wooden structure built in 1884 on the edge of Fox Lake, Illinois. The building stretches about 225 feet long and features a decorative veranda with ornamental woodwork in the Stick style that wraps around three sides of the structure.
The building opened in 1884 as a small club retreat for Chicago's Union Club, then was purchased and expanded by the Mineola Club group in 1888. The southern wing was added in 1903 to accommodate more guests, and the hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The hotel takes its name from the Mineola Club, a private Chicago society that originally used it as a retreat for members. The wide veranda served as a gathering place where guests shared stories about lake activities and their time away from the city.
The building is under historic protection and is not available to the public for overnight stays. Since it is a historic private structure on private property, access and viewing are limited to exterior observation from public roads.
The building is believed to be the largest wooden structure of its era remaining in Illinois and was reportedly designed by the same architects who built the famous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Its veranda represents a rare connection to one of America's most renowned 19th century resorts.
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