As we saw in yesterday's travelogue from 1879, the National Hotel, which had been built by R. M. Scott in 1869, was considered by that traveler, to be the city's premier lodging. After the National Hotel burned down in October 1901, Scott’s widow announced that she would not rebuild it. Eventually, plans for a new hotel were developed by city fathers and local manufacturers Christ Walter (brewing), Charles Smith (Menasha Wooden Ware), and Charles Howard (paper) resourced the project. Much of the citizenry turned out for the laying of the cornerstone of the new Hotel Menasha in 1905. A parade and a carnival-like atmosphere greeted the onlookers. The new hotel cost $35,000 and became such a hit, it required additions in 1911 and 1916. In the photo, the T. D. Phillips Furniture Company's wagon leads and you can see the large painted sign on the side of Tuchscherer's Shoe Store which for years announced, "This Is the Place for Shoes." Zooming in on the photo reveals a large display of what purports to be the "Largest Snake Den in the World." Carnival-like, indeed.
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