Independence Day menu from the Hotel Lafayette, 1893. Items on the menu include Russian caviar on toast, saddle of spring lamb in mint sauce, breast of woodcock, and broiled golden plover on toast. Railroad tycoon James J. Hill's Hotel Lafayette sat on the edge of Lake Minnetonka between Crystal and Holmes Bays from 1882 until it was destroyed by fire in 1897. The posh hotel boasted 300 rooms and five acres of floor space and was a favorite summer destination of wealthy Southerners, visitors from Europe, and even sitting president Chester Arthur. Guests were delivered almost to the front door of the hotel via Hill's railroad.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
The Hotel Nicollet's dinner menu and wine list from August 1, 1897 includes delicacies such as lobster a la Newburg, salmon cutlets, and boiled leg of southdown mutton. Guiness, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Anheuser Busch are among the familiar names that appear under the ""ales and porters"" heading. The hotel occupied the south side of Washington Avenue between Hennepin and Nicollet Avenues between 1858 and 1923. For decades it was considered the city's most prominent hotel and housed such notables as James Garfield, Teddy Roosevelt, and Oscar Wilde. It quickly established a reputation as the premier spot for fine dining and lavish banquets were often hosted in its large dining room.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
West Hotel dinner menu featuring blue point oysters, mock turtle a la Francaise, filet of beef a la Chartreuse, and soft shell crabs a la Creole. The West Hotel, designed by prominent architect LeRoy Buffington, occupied the corner of Fifth Street and Nicollet Avenue from 1884-1940. The Queen Anne-style building sported a Moorish-inspired dining room and boated the nation's largest hotel lobby.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library