April 13, 2015
The “Grande Dame” of the Quad Cities
By Mary Schricker Gemberling
In the early 1900’s downtown Davenport was a prosperous, bustling city. Streetcars carried shoppers and workers to the many eateries and businesses that lined the busy streets.
With the population swelling, the need for additional services spawned the construction of many new buildings. In the early months of 1915, rumors were abuzz about one such building project on the site of the previous Saratoga Hotel on Third Street. It had been reported that local businessman W. F. Miller was financing a new hotel on the lot. On February 16th, 1915 the rumors came to fruition. A neon sign reading “Fireproof Hotel Blackhawk” sat a- top the seven story building as curious guests perused the lobby of the luxurious and sophisticated new hotel that had cost over $1million to build (over $23 million in today’s dollars). With the city’s continued growth, the original 225 guest rooms soon proved to be inadequate, and four more stories were added in 1920, making the Blackhawk the largest hotel in the state of Iowa at that time.
Fast forward one hundred years past “times of great prosperity and periods of financial disaster” to February 16th of this year when hundreds of people gathered in the lobby of the present Hotel Blackhawk to celebrate the one hundredth birthday of this “Grande Dame of the Quad Cities.”
The present owners, Amy & Amrit Gill with Restoration St. Louis, are responsible for the most recent transformation of the hotel. Their $35million renovation reopened the Blackhawk in 2010 with 130 guestrooms and banquet and meeting facilities that included a renovated Gold Room. A bowling alley was recreated in the basement level and shops were incorporated into the main level along with a restaurant and lounge. A new fitness center, swimming pool, business center, and spa were also added. In addition to being a part of the elite Autograph Collection of luxury hotels, Blackhawk has earned a Four Diamond rating from AAA and was named the ‘Best Hotel in Iowa’ by the Business Insider.
The theme for the 100th year birthday celebration is Past, Present, Future. The ongoing celebration will involve many creative and special events throughout the year and will feature cocktails and food menus reflective of the different decades since the hotel’s inception. I am also authoring a commemorative history book to be completed this spring with a copy placed in each guest room. The book will also be available for purchase in the gift shop (you can inquire now at the front desk of the hotel for book pre-sales).
During its one hundred years, the hotel has been host to over two-hundred documented celebrities, but the most important guests and visitors have been you, your families, and friends. Many of you reading this article have your own special memories and recollections of the Hotel Blackhawk. We would like to invite you to share these stories and remembrances by emailing me at mschricker@aol.com (with subject line Hotel Blackhawk) or contacting Lindsay Thul at salesmanager@hotelblackhawk.com or (563) 484-5901. We are also looking for old pictures or tangible items that can be
photographed (i.e. playbills, invitations, items bearing the hotel’s insignia, ticket stubs). With your help these personal stories and mementoes will enrich the book and ensure that we tell the real story of the history of the Hotel Blackhawk.
Mary, a former educator and Seniors Real Estate Specialist, is the author of two books, The West End Kid and Labor of Love; My Personal Journey through the World of Caregiving (available at www.amazon.com)
