American House (Wooster, Ohio)

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American Hotel 1873 Caldwell p87.jpg
About
Name
  • American House (Wooster, Ohio)
Accommodation and Food Services
  • Accommodation
Trading names
  • American Hotel
Services
  • Hotel
Facts
Founded
  • 1837
    Wooster,Ohio
  • Date unknown
Related
Key Persons
Founders
Location

The American House was a longtime provider of respite for many passing through Wooster, Ohio between the late 1830s and 1960s. During that time it went through several incarnations. The original structure, which began operation as a hotel circa 1837, was built by William McComb and then leased to Jacob Maize to operate for several years. This structure was torn down to make way for an improved building by 1867. [1]

It was alternately known as the American House,[2] the Yoder House, [3] New American House (part of the American House block), [4] Bechtel Hotel (part of Bechtel Hotels Inc), [5] Bechtel Hotel, [6] and finally as the American Hotel. [7] Along with the many name changes, the American House also went through a sizeable number of owners and managers as well as a rotation of businesses within its lower offices.

  • 4 story brick, 60 x 180 feet building
  • 30 apartments
  • 1 restaurant
  • Facilities: 30 apartments, offices, dining room, culinary department, writing room, and 2 fine commercial sample rooms for traveling salesmen

Landmark

  • American Hotel building torn down Friday, December 5, 1969. [photograph] to make room for First Federal Savings and Loan [8]

Slogans

Timeline

American House, First Hotel 1837

  • 1837 - built by William McComb and leased to Jacob Maize to operate as a hotel on the corner of E. Liberty and Buckeye Streets
  • 1850 - 1850 Census, indicated 23 guests and employees lived at the hotel. Horace Howard, Landlord live there with his wife, Abigail, and their two sons. [9]

American House, Second Hotel 1867

  • 1867 - Hotel torn down to make way for newer 4-story building, brick Italianate structure, arched windows, ground floor housed a variety of businesses. On the second floor a large porch with fancy iron railing and decorative columns covered the sidewalk along E. Liberty St.[10]
  • 1870 - 1870 census, listed John Koch, Hotel Keeper with his wife Lucie, along with 4 children. Additional residents included E. B. Eshelman, editor of the Wayne County Democrat newspaper and Matthew McClure, Hotel Keeper at another hotel in the vicinity. [11]
  • 1873 - Commercial establishments included: bank, clothing store, boot and shoe, and a piano and organ store run by T. P. Baumgartner.[12]

Yoder Hotel, 1892

  • 1892 - Became the Yoder Hotel with building owner Catherine Imgard leasing it to Mary Yoder. [13]
  • 1965 - Building sold to First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Wooster
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Organized in 1833, reorganized 1849; and reorganized again in 1987 under a new Legislative Act.

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  • 1850, 1852, 1853 and 1859 City Directories
  • 1859 - Williams' Akron, Wooster & Cuyahoga Falls Directory, City Guide & Business Mirror, 1859 by J. H. Baumgardner & Co.
  • 1860-1861 - Ohio State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1860-1861, Wayne County, Ohio / authored by George W. Hawes
  • 1873 - Caldwell Atlas Business Directory
  • 1884-1885 - Wooster & Wayne County Business Directory

Boarders

Sources to complete this table include:

  • 1850 US Census for the Town of Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio p. 239B and 240A
  • 1884 Wooster City and Wayne County Business Directory
Year Last Name First Name Age Birth Place Occupation
1884 Ackerman Frank Barber
1884 Ackerman John Laborer
1850 Howard Horace 63 NH Landlord
1850 Howard Abigail 49 PA
1850 Howard George 18 OH
1850 Howard Lewis 8 OH
1850 Weed Jane 23 OH
1850 Wetwire Jacob 25 Germany
1850 Miller Jacob 16 Germany
1850 Cannin Angeline 20 Unknown
1850 Lowry Sydney 18 Unknown
1850 Reed Rachel 30 Unknown
1850 First Sarah 19 Unknown
1850 Crouse Catherine 15 OH
1850 Crouse Ann 10 OH
1850 Archer Horrace 28 Home Man of Leisure
1850 Hannah John 34 MD Broker
1850 Knepper Samuel 32 MD Merchant
1850 Carr Hubert 30 Unknown Trader
1850 Morehouse Herd 21 CT Clerk
1850 Kaufman Samuel 24 OH Telegraph Clerk
1850 Archer William 26 CT Merchant
1850 Allison William 22 OH Student
1850 Clendenon James W 23 MA none
1850 Turner William 72 CT Atty at Law
1850 Foreman E 26 OH Atty at Law
1850 Kreps Daniel 24 Unknown Clothier
1850 Kitchen Simon 22 OH Clerk
1850 Donnely G W 22 OH Atty at Law
1850 Hannah William W 27 OH Carriage Maker

Newspaper Article Citations

  • January 09, 1901: "It Is Again 'The American' How the Old Wooster Hotel Has Got Back Its Name at a Cost of $25.", Wayne County Democrat, p. 1.
  • August 04, 1966: "American Hotel, Soon to Be Torn Down, Has Noted List of Owners" by Unknown Author, The Daily Record, p..
  • December 05, 1969: "Old Landmark Is Down (and) Last Wall Comes Down" by Unknown Author, The Daily Record, p. 24.
  • August 04, 1966: "American Hotel, Soon to Be Torn Down, Has Noted List of Owners", The Daily Record.

Gallery

Letterheads

  • Yoder House letterhead 1892 0001.pdf
  • The New American House Letterhead 0001.pdf

Logos

Photos

  • Image of the American Hotel before being demolished in 1969.

Maps

  • 1856 - Baker's Wall Map of Wayne County
  • 1884 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map American House Wooster.pdf
  • 1888 Sanborn Map-American House and Archer House.pdf
  • 1892 Sanborn Map-Yoder House (formerly American House) and Archer House.pdf
  • 1898 Sanborn Map- Yoder House (formerly American House) and Archer House.pdf
  • 1905 Sanborn Map- American House and Archer House.pdf
  • 1911 Sanborn Map- American House and Archer House.pdf
  • 1923 Sanborn Map-American House.pdf

Ads

  • American Hotel Advertisement[14]

  • ad, [15]

Newspaper Clippings/Full Text

  • Daily Record, AUG 4, 1966

  • Daily Record, DEC 5, 1969 p.24.

  • It is again "The American"[16]

  • William Belknap obituary[17]

  • William Belknap obituary[18]

  • William Belknap obituary[19]

You do not have permission to embed PDF files.|"First Federal Savings Buys American Hotel," Daily Record, 3 Dec 1965, p.1

Historical documents

The American House, under its present efficient management, has attained a large popularity as a desirable stopping place. The building is a fine four-story brick structure, 60 X 180 feet in dimensions,and has been refitted by its present proprietor and all departments placed in first class order. It contains 30 well lighted sleeping apartments, besides offices, dining room, culinary department, writing room, and two fine commercial sample rooms for the use of traveling salesmen. The tables of the American are noted for the excellence of cooking, and the general appointments and equipment are first-class. Mr. T. S. Hamilton, the proprietor, is widely known with the general traveling public, and has the assistance of Mrs. Hamilton as clerk [20]

References

  1. ↑ February 17, 2002:"Ask Genie- Keys to the Earliest Wooster Hotels" by Bonnie Knox, The Daily Record p. F1
  2. ↑ Reprint of 1856 Baker's Map of Wayne County Business Directory for Wooster p. 34
  3. ↑ 1900 Wooster City and Wayne County Directory p. 14
  4. ↑ 1912-1913 Complete Directory of Wooster and Orrville, Ohio and Wayne County Gazeteer p. 147
  5. ↑ 1932 Wooster City Directory p. 71
  6. ↑ 1940 National's Wooster Ohio City Directory p. 109
  7. ↑ 1952 Wooster, Ohio City Directory p. 85
  8. ↑ Old Landmark Is Down The Daily Record, December 5, 1969, p. 24.
  9. ↑ American Hotel Popular Place to Live and Work In. Paul Locher. Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 2008 June 21.
  10. ↑ American Hotel Popular Place to Live and Work In. Paul Locher. Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 2008 June 21.
  11. ↑ American Hotel Popular Place to Live and Work In. Paul Locher. Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 2008 June 21.
  12. ↑ American Hotel Popular Place to Live and Work In. Paul Locher. Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 2008 June 21.
  13. ↑ American Hotel Popular Place to Live and Work In. Paul Locher. Daily Record, Wooster, Ohio. 2008 June 21.
  14. ↑ Wooster Journal & Democratic Times, 29-NOV-1837 p.1
  15. ↑ The Wooster Journal and Democratic Times. Wooster, Ohio. 1838-02-28, p.4.
  16. ↑ Wayne County Democrat, 09-Jan-1901 p. 1
  17. ↑ Wooster Daily Republican, 27-Feb-1892 p. 3
  18. ↑ Wooster Jacksonian, 03-Mar-1892 p. 3
  19. ↑ Wayne County Democrat, 02-Mar-1892 p. 3
  20. ↑ Annual Business Review of Wayne County, O. 1887 p.5

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