These pictures represent the hotel restoration of the 1980s and 1990s.
Many rooms have been updated such as replacing electrical chandeliers with
oil burning antique chandeliers, and one room has been restored on the second floor.
The second floor is scheduled for complete restoration by 2012.
Here is the bridal suite, restored in 1990. Notice “Idas Trunk” under the window…
left behind by the young maiden, filled with treasures from the past.
This room will be stripped, and taken back to its original look of the 1880s.
**Roll your mouse over this picture of the bridal suite photo,
to reveal the room as it looked in the 1950s. Notice the old rug-look
alike linoleum on the floors, and the bed….
Still in the same place as it was…well, since the beginning.
This is the “Presidential Suite”
Many famous people stayed in this notorious room, one particular client,
loved the old hotel, and the Red room- William Jennings Bryan.
After boarding the train out front, he blared to the crowd,
“Only the town of Hermann can put me up in the White House!”.
This was a play on words, as he was seeking a bid for the presidency of the United States.
**roll your mouse over the picture above for an old picture of same room**
Notice the same Murphy bed in the same location many years ago.
It was here, passing through these curtains that separated the women from the
Mens secret activities, did the gentleman of the era enjoy a drink or 10.
It was here that a passer by could obtain, St. Louis Weiss Beer,
or the local flavor, Otto Eberlins Beer, or of course the fine wines from Puchta,
or the old Stone Hill company. Bottles found under the flooring, and in the
wine cellar showed tobacco products, and mineral spring water,
were also served to the patrons of the old well known whistle stop.
Prohibition, other wise known as the Volstead Act, was the period from 1920 to 1933,
during which the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol for consumption
were banned nationally as mandated in the 18th amendment to the constitution. It was this act,
that changed the face of the wine industry in Hermann forever. During this time, the
“First and Last stop saloon” stopped selling the local products, and instead sank to a secret location
18 feet below the old saloon, and once again, opened up for business as a place where you would “speak easy”
lest the federal or local police might catch wind of the activity, and shut down the operation…
**Roll your mouse over this picture to see an old version of it!!**
This picture is of the newly restored Ballroom.. a grand old room,
where balls and concerts were entertained.. Roll your mouse over the picture
to see what the old ball room looked like in the late 1950s. notice the
old tile, and the white fiberboard walls, used to cover the now crumbling plaster walls.
The Ball room is an excellent setting for a wedding, or special event
that requires the old look of a time gone by- where opulence and classic
Victorian charm ruled. The ballroom has seating for 170.
A beautiful setting for weddings!!!
This picture of the un restored, but “stabilized” walls of the third floor,
show the colors of the 1920s, and the arched hallways. The old wall paper is from the 1930s.
**Roll your mouse over this picture above ** to see the old kitchen picture.
Notice the old stove and harvest table are still in the original places.
Here is the kitchen, as it looked from the 1970s to 2010. The new restored kitchen,
as it looked in the 1880s, is what you will see on a tour
of the old hotel today.
The rollover picture reveals the kitchen, an the late 1950s,
where Pink and cream were the palate of the day… note the original stove.
**Roll your mouse over the picture above to see the old caretaker standing
in kitchen smoking his pipe.
This picture shows a before and after pix of the old kitchen-
The man in the picture is un-identified, but it is believed that he was
showing the building for the realtors. The potential buyer?. a woman who
wanted to make the old historic building into an apartment house. The sale of the
building fell through, only to catch the eye of an energetic couple from
New Haven, who would purchase the building in 1972, and keep it for the next 38 years.
Here is a picture of the wine cellar of the building. The Hotel has a full cellar,
complete with an indoor water well, for the patrons convenience.
This would prove to be a rare treat indeed, for those -9 degree icy Missouri mornings of the 1860s.
**Run your mouse over the picture**
The saloon has been completely restored as it once was... "The First and Last Stop Saloon".
The last drink before Jeff City, and the First drink before St. Louis…
Notice the original oak bar back. Roll your mouse over the picture for a revealing restoration…
The old saloon, shows many of the original bottles, and advertisements
and licenses of the 1880s. It was here, that one could relax before the train,
or steam packet was finally refueled, and ready to continue its journey.
Enjoy a non alcoholic drink at the bar during the tour, or
purchase one of our new “First and Last Stop saloon” shot glasses.
Original Balcony Support Irons
Birds Eye View of the master craftsmanship of long ago.
(Before restoration !!)
Strange and wonderful things sometimes get captured in pictures
at the Hotel. Here, during an archival photo, a flying angel is captured
on film. Are there Ghosts in the hotel? A tour of the old historic building
On October 30 and 31 reveals the secrets of the hotels
many guests…many that checked in….but never checked out.
Don’t miss the guided Halloween tour, which walks you back in time
and describes the murders, and suicides and tragedy’s that occurred
at the building during its long 140 year history. Don’t you Dare miss it………
