Buckingham Hotel
Encyclopedia
Buckingham Hotel, later the Ambassador Hotel, was an upmarket hotel which existed in St. Louis, Missouri
, United States
in the early twentieth century. It was located on the northeast corner of Kingshighway and West Pine Boulevards. Built in 1904 to accommodate World's Fair
visitors, it was subsequently known as the Ambassador Hotel, which was gutted by fire in 1971 and razed in 1973.
career of Larry McLean
ended during a drunken encounter with his manager, John McGraw
. After the St. Louis Society of the Archaeological Institute of America was founded on February 8, 1906, the organizational meetings and many early lectures were held at the hotel. It also hosted meetings of the American Philological Association
. In addition, it was a meeting place for other societies, conventions and demonstrations, from a Violinist's Guild's Convention in June 1912 to art galleries and weddings. On January 4, 1917, a notorious hotel master thief Ernest Le Ford was arrested at the Buckingham Hotel after successfully robbing over $50,000 (US$ in dollars) worth of jewels from lavish hotels in New York City
.
It was common for guests to live permanently at the hotel, including the hotel's president, Walter James Holbrook. Capitalist Ellis Wainwright
died in the hotel in 1924, after living there as a recluse. After 1920, the hotel faced stiff competition from the Chase Hotel, just a block north, and declined in significance. In December 1927, a fire in the hotel's annex led to the death of seven people. The Buckingham Realty Company, which operated the hotel, fell into bankruptcy in 1928, and it sealed the fate of the Buckingham Hotel; the intermingled accounts of the Buckingham Hotel Property and the Buckingham Annex constituted part of the problem.
Prior to 1965, it was owned by the Royale Investment Company, but in that year, it was acquired by attorney Morris Shenker
. It was known as the Ambassador for many years until it was demolished around 1973 after a devastating fire.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the early twentieth century. It was located on the northeast corner of Kingshighway and West Pine Boulevards. Built in 1904 to accommodate World's Fair
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
visitors, it was subsequently known as the Ambassador Hotel, which was gutted by fire in 1971 and razed in 1973.
Architecture
The building was a U-shaped hotel, seven stories high, with bay windows around the wings. The hotel and annex originally offered 450 rooms, 300 of which had baths.History
Over the years, the hotel was popular with baseball players, commonly providing accommodation for visiting players and as a hang out for drinking and socialising. It was at the hotel's bar that the Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
career of Larry McLean
Larry McLean
John Bannerman McLean was a professional baseball catcher between 1901 until 1915. He was killed on March 14, 1921 in Boston, Massachusetts, when he was shot by a bartender during a barroom brawl....
ended during a drunken encounter with his manager, John McGraw
John McGraw
John McGraw may refer to:* John McGraw , , New York lumber tycoon, and one of the founding trustees of Cornell University* John McGraw , , Governor of Washington state from 1893–1897...
. After the St. Louis Society of the Archaeological Institute of America was founded on February 8, 1906, the organizational meetings and many early lectures were held at the hotel. It also hosted meetings of the American Philological Association
American Philological Association
The American Philological Association , founded in 1869, is a non-profit North American scholarly organization devoted to all aspects of Greek and Roman civilization...
. In addition, it was a meeting place for other societies, conventions and demonstrations, from a Violinist's Guild's Convention in June 1912 to art galleries and weddings. On January 4, 1917, a notorious hotel master thief Ernest Le Ford was arrested at the Buckingham Hotel after successfully robbing over $50,000 (US$ in dollars) worth of jewels from lavish hotels in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
It was common for guests to live permanently at the hotel, including the hotel's president, Walter James Holbrook. Capitalist Ellis Wainwright
Ellis Wainwright
Ellis Wainwright was an American capitalist, brewer, art collector and socialite from St. Louis, Missouri. He was President of the St. Louis Brewing Company and Director of the St. Louis and Suburban Company. He is best known for the Wainwright Building in Downtown St...
died in the hotel in 1924, after living there as a recluse. After 1920, the hotel faced stiff competition from the Chase Hotel, just a block north, and declined in significance. In December 1927, a fire in the hotel's annex led to the death of seven people. The Buckingham Realty Company, which operated the hotel, fell into bankruptcy in 1928, and it sealed the fate of the Buckingham Hotel; the intermingled accounts of the Buckingham Hotel Property and the Buckingham Annex constituted part of the problem.
Prior to 1965, it was owned by the Royale Investment Company, but in that year, it was acquired by attorney Morris Shenker
Morris Shenker
Morris A. Shenker was an American lawyer best known for his connections to labor leader Jimmy Hoffa and Teamster funding of Las Vegas in the 1960s....
. It was known as the Ambassador for many years until it was demolished around 1973 after a devastating fire.