artifacts

-TerreHauteHouse.net-

-Artifacts-

The following artifacts represent every aspect of the former hotel; from building materials to postcards. These pieces are either from personal collections submitted by viewers (as noted), or items spotted during demolition. These items are not for sale. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Please e-mail pictures to terrehautehouse@hotmail.com if you have something to share!

Curved section of black glass baseboard moulding from the Mayflower Room

1930s vintage Stevens Electric Co. Bar Blender-Liquefier (base only, motor intact) likely from original Marine Room...a pretty cool find once you do a little research!

Glass Block from the North Maintenance Area

HUGE Bolts that likely held up either the West Marquee or the Mayflower Room truss work

Safety Deposit Box #30 Face from Registration Desk

Safety Deposit Box Drawers (YES, they were empty!) from Registration Desk

Invoices for Food, Beverage, Cleaning Supplies, Repairs, etc.

1930s vintage Light Covers from Mayflower Room, Patented 1928

Hotel Ledger

Piece of Terrazzo Flooring from the Lobby; The beautifully designed flooring was done by Santarossa Mosaic Tile Co. of Indianapolis. They are still in business after three generations and have a superb resume and clientele.

Clay Tile from the Top of the Penthouse/10th Floor

Reference Illustration of Stevens Blender (showing metal cup) Special thanks to Gerald Karwowski at racinehistory.com The owner of Stevens Electric Co. invented the blender! Follow this link for more info: http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/blender.htm

Room Service Ticket (Front)

Room Service Ticket (Back)

Hotel Brochure

Safety Deposit Box Face after preservation, complete with new keys cut to fit original tumblers

THH III Envelope (from my personal collection)

1920's Sugar Bowl (submitted by Toby Glasgow)

Safe from the rubble (as seen at the demolition; submitted by Don)

Postcard of TH#2 (from my personal collection)

Welding Mask (as seen, found in the rubble)

Engraved "Terre Haute House" Silverware (from my personal collection)

THH Drink Mixer (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Paper Work (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Teapot and Creamer (Toby Glasgow Collection)

Toby's Grandma Kate with a Large THH Light Bulb (Toby Glasgow Collection)

Toby with his copy of the THH Brochure (Toby Glasgow Collection)

Two THH Floor Lamps (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Master Key (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH#2 Envelope--the one he meant to send earlier! (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH#2 Postcard and Matchbook Cover (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Silverware (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Hot and Cold Knobs (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Entrance Sign (submitted by Toby Glasgow)

THH Advance Reservation (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Reservation Postcard, Front (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Reservation Postcard, Back (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Standard Postcard, (from my personal collection)

TH Aerial Postcard/THH in Upper Left (from my personal collection)

1950's Photo of Girl Scouts Mother & Daughter Dinner in Mayflower Room

(from my personal collection--special thanks to the Wilkins')

Color Copy of Registration Card for Jack Roman Big Band; Room used for "Instrument Storage" as per Van Allen (Courtesy/Property of Don Johnson)

"Neighbor to the North"--Grand Opera House Postcard, 1906--Also shows former Government Building and Rose Dispensary (my personal collection)

"The Party's Over #1"--view #1 of a basement "party room" during demolition.

(Property/Courtesy of Don Johson)

"The Party's Over #2"--view #2 of a basement "party room" during demolition.

(Property/Courtesy of Don Johson)

Waffle Iron seen during demolition. (Property/Courtesy of Don Johson)

"Key for Lobby Window Lights!" (from my personal collection)

Elevator Notice; Reads:

"NOTICE (Tenants) All Service Will be Discontinued Oct. 31, 1980 ...R. Van"

(from my personal collection)

THH Logo Dinner Plates (4) circa 1930's made by Iroquois China, USA

(from my personal collection)

THH #2 Letter from a Traveling Salesman, 1894

(from my personal collection)

THH Indy 500 Lunch Box (Courtesy of Arts Illiana)

THH Elevator Button Plate (Courtesy of Arts Illiana)

THH Commemorative Brick (Courtesy of Arts Illiana)

Door Knobs (Courtesy of Arts Illiana)

Place Mats and Drink Stirs (Courtesy of Arts Illiana)

Drink Stirs Close-Up (Courtesy of Arts Illiana)

Hot and Cold Knobs (Courtesy of Arts Illiana)

Guest Room Door (Courtesy of Arts Illiana)

Guest Room Door Hardsware - Designed by Peirson-Lewis Hardware Co. of Indianapolis. Peirson-Lewis also designed custom brass locks for the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Lincoln City, Indiana.

(Courtesy of Arts Illiana)

Debate Team Reservation (Toby Glasgow Collection)

Debate Team Reservation Letter (Toby Glasgow Collection)

Match Book Cover (Toby Glasgow Collection)

Tray and Condiment Holder (Toby Glasgow Collection)

Napkin Holder (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Logo Place Mat (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Postcard (Toby Glasgow Collection)

Coffee Cup (Toby Glasgow Collection)

THH Logo Napkin (Toby Glasgow Collection)

Luggage Cart (Toby Glasgow Collection)

Guest Room 533 Door (My Personal Collection)

Guest Room 533 Door Knob and Hardware Close Up - Designed by Peirson-Lewis Hardware Co. of Indianapolis. Peirson-Lewis also designed custom brass locks for the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Lincoln City, Indiana.

(My Personal Collection)

Guest Room 533 Number Close Up (My Personal Collection)

Neighbors to the East - 1906 Post Card (My Personal Collection)

Neighbors to the East - 1910 Post Card (My Personal Collection)

1934 Post Card (My Personal Collection)

Match Book Cover - Outside (My Personal Collection)

Match Book Cover - Inside (My Personal Collection)

Advertising Hanger (My Personal Collection)

THH Albert Pick/Frauenfelter China Co. Plate, c. 1936 (Courtesy of Shadow Auction Barn)

Wow...it's been WAY too long since our last artifact update. THH stuff is just hard to find! Because of this, I am also including a few items from other significant hotels in other cities. They all have their own "stories" as well! Enjoy.

THH Postcard; this one seems to be a little more hard to find than the "usuals".

A 50's era black and white photo of Wabash and the THH.

Limited Edition THH Ornament by The Cat's Meow,

Painted Wood Block, 1996

Hotel Deming Butter Knife. Just a mere block away, the Deming was one of the THH's competitors. The THH's first manager, E.L. Wenzel, stayed at the Deming while he interviewed tenants for the retail space in the THH prior to opening. The Deming has been dutifully maintained through the years and is now a retirement home/recreation center.

Hilton Garden Inn Brochure from Ground Breaking Ceremony, July 24, 2006,

(front)

Hilton Garden Inn Brochure from Ground Breaking Ceremony, July 24, 2006,

(back)

Hilton Garden Inn Ground Breaking Ceremony Program, July 24, 2006

Hilton Garden Inn Terre Haute House, Promotional CD, from Ground Breaking Ceremony, July 24, 2006

Book, Hotel Planning and Outfitting, by Albert Pick Co. Inc. Over 400 pages of "how to" and photos. Although this copy did not come from the THH, we're pretty sure there was a copy of this in the auditor's office when the building was demolished. There were numerous books left in the office when we had our tours, but we didn't feel comfortable asking if we could have any of them. Copies of this book bring as much as $300 at auction and we bought our copy online for $30!!!

Postcard, Albert Pick Hotels, Showing the THH

Same Postcard, Albert Pick Hotels, Showing Close Up of THH

Postcard, Neighbor to the Northeast, U.S. Post Office and Federal Court Building, Currently undergoing restoration and preparation for transfer to Indiana State University as the future site of its School of Business. A beautiful building inside and out...I hope that ISU doesn't chop it up too much!

High School Prom Program, Mayflower Room, 1944

Night Watchman's Clock Key, Pick-Fort Shelby Hotel, Detroit. Mounted on Brass Pick-Fort Shelby FOB, engraved "Elevator Keys". The Pick-Fort Shelby is one of the three major abandoned hotels (of at least six) that survived Detroit's recent demolition spree prior to this year's Super Bowl. The Fort Shelby is slated to re-open in the next few years, at a cost of 73 million dollars.

Bottle Opener, Hotel Statler, Detroit. The Statler was one of the three Hotel casualites of the Detroit Super Bowl Demolition Spree. Sitting on prime real estate (Grand Circus Park in downtown Detroit), the Statler is now a sand lot with no immediate plans for redevelopment.

Silver Ladle, Book-Cadillac Hotel, Detroit. The Book-Cadillac is considered the "Grand Dame" of downtown Detroit's abandoned hotels. At 33 stories, it was once the tallest hotel in the world. It has been vacant since 1985. It is in much worse condition than the THH we just lost, largely due to "Urban Miners" knocking out walls to steal scrap metal and Detroit's much larger homeless squatter population. The great news is that financing has been finalized, work has begun, and the Book-Cadillac should be open to visitors in 2008. Many interesting comparisons can be made between Terre Haute/THH and Detroit/Book-Cadillac. The situations are very much the same but had entirely different outcomes.

THH Sugar Spoon, reads "DOHRCO ACE Victor's Co. A1 Terre Haute House"

Although not registered until 1945, DOHRCO was a trade name used by the Dohrman Hotel Supply Co. of San Francisco dating back to March 1, 1928.

(front)

Same Spoon (close up of back Terre Haute House engraving)

Postcard, Van Orman Hotels, Showing THH

Matchbook, Van Orman Hotels, Front

Matchbook, Van Orman Hotels, Back, Listing THH

Original Rendering Sketch of the 1928 THH, (copy) by Architect William Earl Russ, circa 1925. Note that it was originally two stories higher. It also appears to have TWO lateral (book-ended) penthouses instead of one centrally located penthouse. Another interesting change is the shape of the spires that crown the limestone railing around the top. Oh, and how could I forget?! This drawing has NO columns out front!