Welcome to the #AtoZ Blog Challenge and a Tour of Hotels & Inns
The American Club
An explanation of this year’s theme choice: I renewed my interest in hotel architecture and architects after discovering the vital part the Poinsett Hotel played in the reimagining of Greenville, SC. The hotel survived almost 20 years of neglect. The reopening of this hotel was key to Greenville’s future. Across the country there are countless cities in decline that are trying to find a way to reinvent themselves. The historic significance of Main Street USA architecture is playing a part in the rebuilding of these cities. In 2016, people are making decisions about where to live based on a sense of place and the availability of a significant architectural inventory that awaits a new life. The romance of historic hotels, the part they play in the life of a community caused me to choose ‘Hotels & Inns’ as my theme for this year’s #Challenge. Where possible, I have written from personal experience of the places on this arm chair tour. Saving the Poinsett was key to Greenville’s sense of place. The hotels and Inns on this #Challenge tour are also key to their communities. Enjoy!
Because of this introductory explanation, my allotment of your availability is now limited, leaving time for only a brief introduction to The American Club that played a part in the surprise 40th birthday of our oldest daughter. It was the perfect place to hid out for the day. There is splendid architecture, golf, the Kohler museum, and lovely restaurants.
A brief note on how The American Club came to be: Richard Philipp was an American architect in Wisconsin who in 1906 partnered with 
Peter Brust in the firm of Brust & Philipp based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He worked on “Kohler Village” for Walter Kohler, designing structures built from 1916 through the mid-1920s. What became The American Club hotel was built in 1924, a historic Five-Star hotel located one hour north of Milwaukee and 2.5 hours north of downtown Chicago. The English Tudor-style structure was once a dormitory for the workers of Kohler’s bath supply company at the turn of the 20th century. The space has been lavishly updated.
Tomorrow we will begin our tour without further explanation of this year’s #Challenge theme. We’re off to Louisville, Kentucky and The Brown Hotel, integral to Louisville’s story.
Nice start, Stepheny, to what promises to be aninteresting month.
Keith Channing at http://keithkreates.com
Hi,
As a woman who was born in the Deep South and lived close to the South Carolina border, it was nice to see that South Carolina is renovating and bringing back to life some of its old charm.
Thank you.
Shalom,
Patricia EverythingMustChange
Sounds like an interesting place. Looking forward to your next post. @Ma_holloway from
If I Only Had A Time Machine
Looks like a beautiful place. Those factory workers had a lovely dormitory building. Thanks for sharing a little history.
Seems like its going to be an interesting month ahead, you have chosen an interesting topic… I can’t wait for more!😃
Arm chair travel is an easy way to visit these 26 locations though I must admit X and Z are the only letters with no content yet. The rest are in the queue ready to go. Hope you have time to come back.
The building is beautiful. Great start to the challenge 🙂
Debbie
Tudor architecture, such an interesting subject with plenty of research to add to this A post. Alas, making it too long for people to bother with. Thanks for visiting. Join me for this arm chair tour of special hotels and inns. Hope to see you along the way.
What a charming looking building. That’s nice to know the hotel was able to be revived after years of neglect.
Preservation of these historic buildings takes foresight, and the hotels/inns that have been renovated bring a sense of place that is an asset to any community. Please come back if you have time.
Interesting choice of theme, and a beautiful building to start off with. 🙂
Thanks, Misha. Hope you have time to join me again.
Can’t wait to see tomorrow’s post about The Brown Hotel 🙂
You will find a youtube video showing you how to make the famous Hot Brown Sandwich. Try it, you will love it and your company will think you’re a great cook. See you there.
Sounds like an interesting theme. Nice to get to travel. I need to do more of it for sure…
Have fun with the A-Z!
Michele at Angels Bark
If you have an interest, do come back. When we get to the letter T, we will have tea together at a hotel, a special experience.
An interesting topic and a beautiful hotel. I should make my way to see it since I live in SC. 🙂
@dino0726 from
FictionZeal – Impartial, Straightforward Fiction Book Reviews
Do plan a trip to Greenville, SC. I have only been once, but read more. It is absolutely a city that has reimagined itself and is FABULOUS.
It is very pretty. I think you spent wonderful hours there.
Wish I could have written more about Tudor architecture, but writing WHY I had picked my theme meant the post would have been too long. Come back when you can, if you have an interest.
As I understood it’s build in Milwaukee in the 1920s, so it’s some kind of Neo-Tudor, erm… Historicism Architecture, isn’t it? At this time in Germany architectures built Art-Nouveau houses and picturesque and sometimes a bit like medieval castles looking houses.
I will follow your blog because I am interested in the following letters 🙂
Hi Stepheny! Great theme for the Challenge. Isn’t it interesting how a structure’s purpose can change throughout the years? I love learning about historic buildings that have been reclaimed and repurposed, like factories that have long since been abandoned being turned into artist lofts or galleries. Looking forward to following you across the U.S. on the hotel trail. 🙂
You are a perfect person to join me this month learning about some important hotel/inns. When we get to the letter T we can have tea together when I write about tea time in a hotel venue.
Thank you for visiting me today. I like your blog and your a-z theme.
I absolutely love to travel, and this building is absolutely beautiful. I may have to put it on my bucket list!
Oh, there will be others you will put on your list too. Hope you can join me to learn more.
Excellent topic! This is going to be fun!
Love the topic! What fun!
Hope you have time to return to visit the upcoming hotels and inns.
I love your theme Stepheny!
It is hard to believe The American Club was once a dorm. Are these the same Kohler’s as the faucets and toilets? I wonder why the club was neglected for 20 years?
I’m visiting from the A to Z Challenge.
Shelly @ http://hangryfork.com
Hope you have time to visit again. I think you will enjoy the other hotels and inns I have selected. Here’s to a busy month of April.
Interesting that they originally set it up for the people who worked at the factory, now it’s an upscale facility. Funny how that works…
John Holton
Blogging from A to Z Challenge Co-Host
The Sound of One Hand Typing
That hotel looks so charming 🙂 It has an interesting history. I enjoy learning the origins of various places. Thanks for visiting my page today!
Elizabeth @ Liz’s Random Ponderings
As a thanks for dropping by my blog, I thought I’d reciprocate. Wonderful post. If I ever get down there, I’ll have to look it up.
If this theme interests you, come back when you can.
So fascinating! I am really looking forward to your list!
Scott Parker-Anderson
I waste megabytes over at WALDINA
Great, come back and join me and we can visit together the other hotels and inns I have selected. I’ll be back to Waldina too.
How Interesting!! I love how interesting the history is. I cant wait to check it out in person. I love visiting all of the A to Z Blog Challenge!
Do come back when you can to join me visiting the hotels and inns I have selected. Arm chair travel is great…it doesn’t cost you anything, you learn something, you even find a place you must see in person.
Good point about cities needing to reinvent themselves, or rejuvenate what once made them great. We are, as a culture, starting to appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of the buildings and landscape of the past. Love hotel.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Mary at Play off the Page
Thanks, Mary for leaving your comment. We’ve lost a lot of buildings that should have been saved, but communities are beginning to understand what historical significance they can offer those who are deciding where to live. The hotels and inns offer a sense of place. Come back when you can.
Looks like a beautiful place I’d love to get to stay at!
Revisit the Tender Years with me during the #AtoZChallenge at Life & Faith in Caneyhead!
I’ll be along to visit. If you have time rejoin me along the way for more hotel and inns See you along the way.
I’m glad I discovered your blog! I love visiting the world this way and look forward to the 25 more inns and hotels
I hope you do have time to join me visiting the hotels and inns I have selected. Their stories are intergal to the places they are located.
Your theme for 2016 sounds great. Looking forward to your A-Z posts again this year
That’s a really lovely, homey looking place!
Anna
ATSP @ Deeply Shallow
@natzers
Nice to hear my city get a shout out today, Milwaukee. Oddly, I don’t think I’ve ever been to Kohler.
very fun theme Stepheny! And thanks for visiting my A to Z ! I do try to keep my blog uncluttered and fun to visit! Definitely interested in architecture- so I’ll be checking in with you! My dad was State Architect for California during the 1980’s and he had delight in being involved in the State Capitol’s restoration.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/obituaries/article2591836.html
Wonderful theme, Stepheny! I love hotels and inns too and look forward to reading about these through the alphabet.
Many Blessings,
Lori
My A2Zs @ As the Fates Would Have It & Promptly Written
Follow Me (Ravyne) Twitter|Facebook
Delighted the subject calls to you. I had a wonderful time researching, and selecting the hotels & inns.
I love architecture, so this definitely calls to me.. will be stopping by again!