Share Our World: Hotel Russell-Lamson

This is the Hotel Russell-Lamson in Waterloo, Iowa. It is a place I was very excited to visit while doing research in Iowa for the historical fiction/ family history book I am writing about my grandparents honeymoon.

The Russell and Lamson in the hotel's name are a merger of family names.

My great grand father, Clyde Orin Lamson, and my great grand mother, Lillian Richards Russell, built this 250 room hotel in 1914.

Interesting it is also the name of my grandfather is Russell Orin Lamson. I thought it was named after him growing up. His first name is his mother's last name.

At the time it was the largest hotel west of the Mississippi.

The architect was the Chicago based firm Marshall and Fox which also designed the Drake Hotel, which is were my grandparents stayed in Chicago on their honeymoon in 1939.

During research for the book, I have realized that since my family was in the hotel business my grand parents were able to stayed in other luxury hotels on their honeymoon, like the Drake in Chicago and the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

I am so glad they restored the lobby. It is stunning!

There is a restaurant in the lobby that is one certain days of the week. I was planning on eating there. I didn't because I went over to Illinois and got back after dinner. I am glad that I got to see the lobby. Being in there you can imagine the luxury and grandeur of the early 1900s!

I learned, from my Uncle Paul, that rise of chain hotels in the 1950s and 1960s was the "death" of the Hotel Russell-Lamson. In 1988 the building was registered as National Register of Historic Places and has since been converted into an apartment building.

It went from 250 room hotel to 90 apartments. There are studios, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom options.

The architectural style listed on the National Historic Registration form is Georgian/ Colonial Revival.

Let's take a look at this description of Colonial Revival architecture

[It] is characteristically rectangular in plan, symmetrical in composition, and incorporates classical elements. Details are borrowed freely from colonial models and combined with various degrees of historical accuracy including columned entry porticos, pediments, sidelights at entry doors, and eaves detailed as classical cornices. The typical material palette for this style includes red brick masonry construction, limestone and painted white wood details.

Check- This building is text book in symmetry.

Check- Beautiful Red Brick Masonry that stands out, even from a distance.

Georgian and Colonial Revival architecture have Classical Elements and these are some that I see on the Hotel Russell-Lamson

Check- Rounded arches, there are nine on at the front of the building

Check- Dentil Cornice Molding on the top of the building. Dentil comes from dental like teeth, as they look like a row of teeth.

Check- Tripartite Division, 1. The Base- the round arches and the stone section right above that 2. the red brick section above that, 3. the Dentil Cornice at the very top

Check- A secondary entablature this is the horizontal band that is above the arches and below the brick.

What a beautiful building. It was once a hotel and is now an apartment building and is a big part of my family history.

Russell Lamson, the son of Cylde and Lillian, married Pauline Shockley.

Look at these news articles of Pauline's interaction with the hotel before she married into the family. When Russell and Pauline returned from their honeymoon in July 1939 they lived the Hotel Russell-Lamson. My mom was born while they were living in the hotel.

Sources:

Hotel Russell-Lamson, Wikepdia
National Register Form
Sherman Associates: Hotel Russell-Lamson
Colonial and Georgian Revival
Newspaper clippings from Newpaper.com and the Waterloo Courier