News you can use
News you can use
The Grand Hotel is seen in this undated photo. The hotel was torn down in the late 1970s along with the rest of the block to construct First Bank Havre, now US Bank.
By Emily Mayer
No sooner was the inaugural Great Northern Montana Stampede finished and Havre was preparing for another event that promised a large gathering. The July 15, 1916, issue of The Havre Plaindealer outlined some of the program for the 1916 Chautauqua, complete with misspellings:
HEADLINERS APPEAR AT THE CHAUTAUQUA
Victor Murdock, Back From Trenches, to be Feature
The attention of Havre people is drawn to the Chautauqua program for 1916. It is a winner.
In looking over the splendid staff of lecturers, interest is especially enlivened at the prospect of hearing Victor Murdock, the firey insurgent from Kansas, who is today a central figure in our national politics. Another man who gives a man sized twist to things in general, and to community development in particular is Ernest J. Sias, the home-town advocate. Frederick Vining Fisher, chief of staff of the lecture bureau of the Panama Pacific International exposition one of America's most eloquent platform speakers, delivers to chautauquans an illustrated lecture brilliant in its idealistic Americanism. Mrs. Harriette Gunn Robertson, the platform's premier lady lecturer, will prove one of the most interesting of the lecture course. Elliott A. Boyl, co-worker with Dr. Gunsaulus of Chicago, is a man of practical and inspiring idealism.
The muical and entertainment numbers challenge comparison. Witepskie's Royal Hungarian Orchestra; Madame Morvilius, Mezzo-contralto accompanied by the Royal Hungarians; The Gullotta Trio, vocal and instrumental concert, featuring the renowned concert violinist, Vincenzo Gullotta; the Boston Lyric Opera company, popular and classic selections, presenting the comic opera, Martha, in costume, Elizabeth de Bartie Gill, Harpist, contralto, and clever impersonator; The Ionian Serenaders, entertainers de luxe, who play the accordion with an artistic individuality, sing, minrie, and impersonate; S. Platt Jones, himself; and Keukuku's Hawaiin Quintet; featuring Joseph Kekuku, the originator of the celebrated steel method of guitar playing.
The Chautauqua dates are August 8-13 inclusive for this city.
It is with almost 100 percent certainty the Grand Hotel was preparing for the next onslaught of visitors to Havre. This article was published in the July 12, 1916, issue of The Havre Daily Promoter:
GRAND HOTEL IS NOW ONE OF THE FINEST HOSTELRIES IN NORTHWEST
Miss Theresa Harrington, proprietress of the Grand hotel of this city, has recently completed some improvements of her building, among which was the adding of another floor, and the hotel is today easily the finest between the Twin cities and Spokane. There are larger places, more imposing, more gaudy and palatial, but none that can rival it in the exquisiteness of its furnishings, the fineness of its appointments, the quiet restfulness of its interior, for it is so constructed as to be practically sound proof and along its spacious corridors and rooms are carpets in which one sinks to their ankles.
The lobby has been enlarged by the taking out of three rooms and this is as suggestive of solid comfort as an old slipper.
It is finished in mahogany and has a great fire place upon which are heaped logs, through whose perforated exterior, flames from natural gas dance and play, throwing out cheer and comfort when old Boreas goes upon the rampage.
In the rear of the office is located a check room for baggage and immediately in the rear of this is a ladies parlor filled up with great comfortable upholstered chairs, a piano, and one of the inventions of Mr. Edison for the grinding out of what is commonly termed along what proletariat as "canned music".
The office is also fitted up with substantial and comfortable upholstered furniture and has a system of indirect lighting that gives a soft and restful light to the eyes.
Upon this floor have been put in three suits of rooms and the same number of suits obtain upon the next floor. Baths and toilets have been put in to a large number of the rooms on each floor. There is not an inside room in the building, not a room that is not light, airy and cheery.
In the basement is a private kitchen and dining room and a couple of sample rooms. Miss Harrington has also enlarged her sample rooms by leasing a floor from C. C. Roper, just across the street from the hotel.
Miss Harrington has demonstrated what it is possible for an energetic and progressive young woman, who has the courage, tact, energy and business ability to accomplish in Montana. She came to the state less than six years ago from Chicago where when was the assistant buyer in one of the largest department stores of that city. She opened the Harrington Apartment house in Great Falls, near the Par hotel, and successfully conducted it for four years, after which she came to Havre and built her present place of business. In Havre a generous measure of prosperity has attended her every effort.
Mr. McKenzie, formerly of the National Hotel in Kalispell, and Mr. Bloom, formerly of the Park Hotel in Great Falls, two of the most widely known and popular hotelmen in the northwest, have been secured by Miss Harrington to officiate at the desk and give the traveling public a welcome that for cordiality has gained for them state wide distinction.
I wish I could have seen the Grand Hotel, with its beautiful parlor and its invention of Mr. Edison - the phonograph. Most of the rooms had their own bathroom, others would have shared with other guests staying in the building. This was not uncommon in 1916 - not all rooms had their own bathroom 100 year ago. Miss Harrington and her high standards is my kind of businesswoman. What happened to her pride and joy is one of many sad stories in Havre's long history.
Here is an entry from the Plaindealer's Society page, a special addition for Sondra Pepin and the home's current owners:
Bridge Afternoon
Mrs. E. J. Pepin was hostess on Tuesday afternoon at her home on Third avenue, a large number of ladies gathering in compliment to Miss Dobbins, the house guest of Mrs. L. K. Devlin. Bridge formed the diversion for the afternoon, at the close of which the hostess served dainty refreshments.
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