Charleston Hotel, Former hotel in Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S.A.
The Charleston Hotel is a ten-story hotel in the Beaux-Arts style at the corner of Ryan Street and West Pujo Street in downtown Lake Charles. The steel-frame structure with brick and stone features detailed facade elements including columns, arches, and ornamental stonework along with large street-facing windows throughout.
The hotel opened in 1929 as the first major building of Lake Charles and symbolized the city's rise to economic importance in the region. Construction costs exceeded 600,000 dollars and demonstrated investor confidence in the city's future despite the onset of economic crisis.
The hotel takes its name from the nearby Charleston Lake and has shaped how Lake Charles sees itself since opening. It became the center of social life where the city's prominent residents gathered for dances, particularly on the celebrated roof garden with its decorative lighting and bar service.
The building sits two blocks from the lakeshore in the heart of the business district where shops, cafes, and other historic buildings are found. Visitors can walk or drive with nearby parking available, and the central location makes it easy to access other city attractions.
The roof originally featured glossy tiles and offered a dance floor under a protective canopy with decorative lighting and a bar service. These rooftop dance events were considered a social must and regularly drew hundreds of guests who enjoyed the city's evening entertainment and nightlife.
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