Hollars , photos provided by Chippewa Valley Museum September 19, Measuring 14 feet long and a few feet wide, the century-old, handcrafted bar in the Hotel Eau Claire had, for decades, served as an ideal watering hole for many a thirsty traveler. This list included world heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey March , U. Robert M.
La Follette Jr. However, the celebrity guest who interested me most was U. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts. If not for local businessman George Wheeler, there would be no hotel, no bar, and no JFK lore surrounding them both.
Click on an image to zoom:. Their shoes clicked across the terrazzo and marble flooring as their eyes flittered toward the mahogany wood-paneled walls.
Throughout the day, year-old general manager Joseph P. However, he ought to have kept a closer eye on the guests, many of whom reportedly swiped towels as souvenirs to commemorate the grand opening. And, indeed, it was grand. Local dignitaries proudly clinked the glasses of their non-alcoholic beverages, christening the hotel that would serve as the city center for nearly half a century. People flocked from far and wide to see it for themselves.
The first names on the guestbook were Mr. Keller of Portland, Oregon. They were joined by dozens of others from Minneapolis and elsewhere, who descended upon Eau Claire to experience the latest in hotel luxury β baggage elevators, telephone switchboards, and a toilet in every room. By the end of the first week, general manager Joseph P. Dilley could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The hotel was off to a promising start. The trick was to keep it that way. The hotel was a city within a city.
