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
Two page letter from Seward School student to Mr. James Otis, Duluth, Minnesota, describing Seward School, the student's vacation plans, and the signs of spring. Paper was reused for arithmetic problems.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Two page letter from Seward School student to their aunt, describing a snowstorm and the snowman the student made, as well as the student's baby brother.
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