The Statler Hotel company was one of the United States' early chains of hotels catering to traveling businessmen and tourists. It was founded by Ellsworth Milton (E. M.) Statler in Buffalo, New York .
47-559: In 1901, Buffalo hosted the Pan-American Exposition . Statler built a hotel on the Exposition grounds and called it "Statler's Hotel". It was a temporary wooden structure intended to last the duration of the Exposition. With 2,084 rooms, it could accommodate 5,000 guests. Although the Exposition was deemed an overall failure due to a number of factors (including bad weather and the assassination of President William McKinley ), Statler
94-470: A world's fair held in Buffalo, New York , United States, from May 1 through November 2, 1901. The fair occupied 350 acres (0.55 sq mi) of land on the western edge of what is now Delaware Park , extending from Delaware Avenue to Elmwood Avenue and northward to Great Arrow Avenue. It is remembered today primarily for being the location of the assassination of United States President William McKinley at
141-705: A number of different publications from the Pan-American exposition company in Buffalo, along with publications from Rand McNally in New York. At the opening of the Pan-American Exposition on "Dedication Day", March 20, 1901, a procession led by Vice-President Roosevelt , who was attended by a number of dignitaries, which included Governor Odell , of New York, Conrad Diehl , the mayor of Buffalo, Senator Hanna , of Ohio, and Senator Gallinger , of New Hampshire. Leading
188-489: A number of different specially made postmarks inscribed with the words, "Pan-American Exposition, 1901". The Pan American issues were the first commemorative stamps to be issued in the 20th century. On September 4, President McKinley arrived and was greeted by thousands of people in anticipation of his visit. Also in September, former Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan visited the exposition and made an appearance at
235-426: A plot to kill the president had been discovered, while two other world leaders had recently been assassinated. Normally people who would draw near to the president were required to have their hands empty and in plain sight, but for reasons not clear, this rule was not strictly enforced. On the day prior to the shooting, McKinley had given an address at the exposition, which began as follows: I am glad to be again in
282-619: Is a large bronze sculpture by Larry Griffiths titled Birds in Flight (1980). Formerly Bidwell Place; a 5.4-acre (2.2 ha) plot, 510 by 465 feet (155 by 142 m), at the intersection of Richmond Avenue, Bidwell Parkway, and Lafayette Avenue. The circle's center contains an equestrian statue of General Daniel D. Bidwell . Originally The Avenue; connects Symphony Circle to Colonial Circle; 100 feet (30 m) wide and 6,022 feet (1,836 m) in length. It traverses Ferry Circle at West Ferry Street. A 300-foot-diameter (91 m) circle at
329-689: Is desirable to encourage the holding of a Pan-American Exposition on the Niagara Frontier in the City of Buffalo, in the year 1901, fittingly to illustrate the marvelous development of the Western Hemisphere during the Nineteenth Century, by a display of the arts, industries, manufactures and the products of the soil, mine and sea...The "Pan American" theme was carried throughout the event with the slogan "commercial well being and good understanding among
376-455: Is divided into two areas: the 243-acre (98 ha) "Meadow Park" on the east and the 133-acre (54 ha) "Water Park", with what was originally a 43-acre (17 ha) lake, on the west. The 12-acre (4.9 ha) ravine and picnic grove on the south side of the lake comprise a subdivision of the latter. Olmsted dammed Scajaquada Creek to create the lake, originally called Gala Water, then Delaware Park Lake, and now known as Hoyt Lake. The lake
423-630: Is located adjacent to D'Youville College and is home to a branch of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library . The Shelter House (ca. 1908) is a contributing structure. Formerly The Front; a 32-acre (13 ha) park located at the beginning of the Niagara River and overlooking Lake Erie . The park is home to the U.S. entrance to the Peace Bridge , erected in 1927 on the site of the former Fort Porter , and includes baseball diamonds, large open playing fields, and tennis courts. The park contains
470-573: Is located on the southeast side of the circle; it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989. The circle is located within the Allentown Historic District . A former city street incorporated into the parks system; connects Symphony Circle to Columbus Park and Front Park. Formerly Prospect Park; located at the intersection of Niagara Street and Porter Avenue; the site of the Connecticut Street Armory . The park
517-604: The Flip Flap Railway , attempted to demonstrate one of his looping roller coasters at the fair, but the organizers of the event considered the ride to be too dangerous and refused to allow it on the grounds. Buffalo native Nina Morgana , later a soprano with the Metropolitan Opera , was a child performer in the "Venice in America" attraction at the Exposition. Composer/organist Fannie Morris Spencer gave two recitals in
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#1732851649929564-459: The National Register of Historic Places . The park is home to an exact replica of Michelangelo's David . It is 18 feet tall and weighs 3000 pounds. The statue was dedicated in 1903, one of only three bronze replicas made of the original sculpture. At one time it included a fig leaf, which was not present in the original; this was later removed so David can be viewed in all his glory. When
611-469: The Temple of Music on September 6, 1901. The exposition was illuminated at night. Thomas A. Edison, Inc. filmed it during the day and a pan of it at night. The Pan-American Exposition, often referred to as "The Rainbow City", received national attention in the press and elsewhere a couple of years before, during and after it occurred During the course of the exposition more than 8,000,000 visitors came to
658-536: The United States (after New York City 's). It is also the location of the Buffalo Zoo on the east side of Meadow Park. The park has a golf course, two baseball diamonds, a softball diamond, cross country running, tennis courts, and soccer fields. Contributing structures are: Caretakers Cottage (1889); Lincoln Parkway Bridge (1900), designed by Green and Wicks ; Rose Garden Pergola (1912); Stone Bridge (ca. 1887),
705-588: The American Republics." The advent of the alternating current power transmission system in the US allowed designers to light the Exposition in Buffalo using power generated 25 mi (40 km) away at Niagara Falls. In the months preceding the exposition promotional pamphlets, newspaper articles, guide books and other publications were published and released around the United States and elsewhere. Among them were
752-518: The Exposition was widely advertised by newspapers and magazines which played a significant role in attracting many thousands of people to the event. Of his visit to the exposition, McKinley's secretary of State, John Hay , remarked, "Never had I seen him higher in hope and patriotic confidence." His arrival was the source of great concern for the Secret Service, the Exposition police and others who were assigned to McKinley's security. The year before
799-593: The Lincoln Parkway, marks the area where the Temple of Music was located. Delaware Park%E2%80%93Front Park System Delaware Park–Front Park System is a historic park system and national historic district in the northern and western sections of Buffalo in Erie County, New York . The park system was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux and developed between 1868 and 1876. The park system
846-612: The Statler and Radisson hotel chains". The Hotels Statler Company, Inc., was sold to Conrad Hilton 's Hilton Hotels in 1954 for $ 111 million, then the world's largest real estate transaction. The Statler hotel in Buffalo was the first to be demolished after the Hilton acquisition, in 1968. The Statler hotel in New York became the Hotel Pennsylvania. The Travel Channel's documentary paranormal television show Destination Fear filmed at
893-601: The Temple of Music. Other attractions included The Great Amphitheater, Joshua Slocum 's sloop, the Spray , on which he had recently sailed around the world alone, the Trip to the Moon exhibit , a mechanical dark ride that was later housed at Coney Island 's Luna Park . In the center of the rose-garden beside the Woman's Building was Enid Yandell 's "Struggle of Existence," and a plaster version of
940-451: The average traveler a level of luxury that was otherwise unaffordable. Rooms were originally available at what seemed a very cheap price, leading many other hoteliers to predict the failure of the Buffalo hotel. The opening night price was as low as $ 1.50 for a guest room, leading to the slogan "A Room and a Bath for a Dollar and a Half". The hotel had a $ 500,000 line of credit available, but maintained positive cash flow and Statler never used
987-440: The buildings were constructed of timber and steel framing with precast staff panels made of a plaster/fiber mix. These buildings were built as a means of rapid construction and temporary ornamentation and not made to last. Prior to its demolition, an effort was made via public committee to purchase and preserve the original Electric Tower from the wrecking company for nearly US$ 30,000 ($ 1.1 million in 2023 dollars ). However,
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#17328516499291034-416: The city of Buffalo and exchange greetings with her people ... Expositions are the timekeepers of progress. They record the world's advancement. They stimulate the energy, enterprise, and intellect of the people; and quicken human genius. They go into the home. They broaden and brighten the daily life of the people. They open mighty storehouses of information to the student. The newly developed X-ray machine
1081-569: The event. The event was organized by the Pan-American Exposition Company, formed in 1897. Cayuga Island was initially chosen as the place to hold the Exposition because of the island's proximity to Niagara Falls , which was a huge tourist attraction. When the Spanish–American War broke out in 1898, plans were put on hold. After the war, there was a heated competition between the cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls over
1128-686: The exhibit of the Bureau of Indian Affairs with several prominent Sioux Indian chiefs, including Red Cloud , High Hawk and Blue Horse. Also present were chiefs from the Six Nations League of the Iroquois Confederacy , dressed in the traditional attire of their ancestors. Arriving during the preparatory stages of the Exposition, they erected various long houses that were once commonplace in their home lands of central New York, while they were attended by various translators. Lina Beecher , creator of
1175-455: The exposition and after much consideration and deliberation a 350-acre tract in the western area of Delaware Park was selected. The grounds on which the exposition would be constructed extended from Delaware Ave. to Elmwood and from Park Lake northward to present Great Arrow. The total expense for the exposition came to US$ 7 million. ($ 256 million in 2023 dollars.) In March 3, 1899, Congress pledged $ 500 000, and publicly declared that "it
1222-500: The fairgrounds. The Exposition also served to define what was officially to be considered "American Art" at the turn of the century. In May 1901 the U.S. Post Office began issuing a series of six commemorative stamps to help promote and fund the exposition. The stamps depicted the various modern transportation themes that were featured at the exposition. The stamps were placed on sale at the exposition from May 1 to October 31, 1901. Post Offices in Buffalo post-marked out-going mail with
1269-698: The fountain "Struggle of Life" installed in Rhode Island. On the last day of the exposition, Saturday, November 2, a sham battle was staged at the Stadium at the Pan-American Exhibition The several hundred participants included the six tribes of American Indians, dressed in traditional garb, and the United States Infantry stationed at Buffalo. The event also included theatrical explosive charges, weaponry and many hand to hand combat encounters, and
1316-552: The guestroom floors, and he strove to have room layouts that would maximize efficiency and profitability. After Statler's death in 1928, the company built hotels in Washington, D.C. , Los Angeles, California , Hartford, Connecticut , and Dallas, Texas . Many of these hotels were designed by the architectural firm of George Post & Sons, the successor firm of George B. Post . In the mid- and late-1940s, pianist Liberace "gained national exposure through his performance contracts with
1363-484: The idea of "America for the Americans" was emphasized. Though the Pan-American Exposition featured many exhibits that possessed commercial and transportation and different worldly themes, it was also considered to be an art exhibition, with many American paintings, sculptures and other works of art from Canada and other countries, all of which were displayed in the Exposition's Albright Art Gallery and other locations about
1410-408: The intersection of West Ferry Street, Massachusetts Street, and Richmond Avenue. Originally known as just The Circle. A 500-foot-diameter (150 m), 4.5-acre (1.8 ha) circle at the juncture of Porter Avenue with Richmond Avenue, North Street, Pennsylvania Street, and Wadsworth Street. Due south of the circle lies First Presbyterian Church , Buffalo's oldest congregation. Kleinhans Music Hall
1457-566: The juncture of Bidwell Parkway, Lincoln Parkway, Bird Avenue, and Chapin Parkway. Frank Lloyd Wright 's William R. Heath House (1904) overlooks the circle at Bird Avenue. A 200-foot-wide (61 m), 9-acre (3.6 ha) thoroughfare, connecting Soldier's Place to Delaware Park; 1,965 feet (599 m) in length. A 200-foot-wide (61 m), 10.7-acre (4.3 ha) thoroughfare, connecting Colonial Circle to Soldier's Place; 2,323 feet (708 m) in length. At its intersection with Soldier's Place
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1504-486: The line of credit. The Statler hotel in St. Louis was the first in the nation to offer air conditioning. The Dallas Statler hotel was the first in the nation to have elevator music. Each of the subsequent Statler Hotels built upon this formula for success. Reflecting the era's enthusiasm for scientific management , Statler took pride in how he standardized questions of room design. His hotels had minimal wasted space, particularly on
1551-402: The location in 2019 for the seventh episode of their first season. In 2020, former owner Mark Croce was killed in a helicopter crash. As of June 2021, the hotel has been purchased by developers planning to turn the building into a mixed-use structure with retail, meeting and entertainment space, and 600 - 700 residential units. Pan-American Exposition The Pan-American Exposition was
1598-428: The location. Buffalo won for two main reasons. First, Buffalo had a much larger population; with roughly 350,000 people, it was the eighth-largest city in the United States. Second, Buffalo had better railroad connections; the city was also located on the east shore of Lake Erie and serviced by 12 steamship lines, and was within a day's journey by rail or steamship for over 40 million people. The Pan-American Exposition
1645-439: The military division of the parade was Louis Babcock, Grand Marshal of the Exposition parade, which also included the first division, consisting of the 71st Regiment Band and other military brigades. The procession passed over the monumental Triumphal Bridge which passes over Mirror Lake, and proceeded to the Temple of Music . More than 100,000 people were in attendance. At the temple they listened to various key note speakers, where
1692-430: The necessary funding could not be raised in time. The site of the exposition was bounded by Elmwood Avenue on the west, Delaware Avenue on the east, what is now Hoyt Lake on the south, and the railway on the north. It is now occupied by a residential neighborhood from Nottingham Terrace to Amherst Street, and businesses on the north side of Amherst Street. A stone and marker on a traffic island dividing Fordham Drive, near
1739-612: The only remaining structure from the original Olmsted plan; Parkside Lodge (1914); Rumsey Shelter (1900); Main Zoo Building (1935–1940); Shelter House (ca. 1900); and Elephant House (ca. 1912). Located north of the park are the Parkside East Historic District and Parkside West Historic District and to the south are the Elmwood Historic District–East and Elmwood Historic District–West , all listed on
1786-670: The operating table as they treated McKinley's wounds. Buildings and exhibits featured at the Pan-American Exposition included: When the fair ended, the contents of the grounds were sold to the Chicago House Wrecking Company of Chicago for US$ 92,000 ($ 2.93 million in 2023 dollars ). Demolition of the buildings began in March 1902, and within a year, most of the buildings were demolished. The grounds were then cleared and subdivided to be used for residential streets, homes, and park land. Similar to previous world fairs, most of
1833-622: The statue was rededicated in 2013, it was given a new plaque which corrected the spelling of the artist's name from Michael Angelo to Michelangelo. Originally Chapin Place, a 5-acre (2.0 ha) plot measuring 500 by 420 feet (150 by 130 m) at the intersection of Delaware Avenue, Lafayette Avenue, and Chapin Parkway. The circle's center contains a monumental sunken fountain constructed in 1904. Connects Gates Circle and Soldier's Place; 1,904 feet (580 m) in length. Consists of an 8.8-acre (3.6 ha) area 700 feet (210 m) in diameter at
1880-571: Was a feature during the Pan-American Exposition . The Scajaquada Expressway bisects the park west to east. The Albright-Knox Art Gallery occupies the park's western edge, overlooking Hoyt Lake, and the Buffalo History Museum is situated on its northern edge, overlooking Scajaquada Creek. The park is home to Shakespeare in Delaware Park , a summer tradition since the mid-1970s, and the second largest free outdoor Shakespeare festival in
1927-411: Was displayed at the fair, but doctors were reluctant to use it on McKinley to search for the bullet because they did not know what side effects it might have had on him. Also, the operating room at the exposition's emergency hospital did not have any electric lighting , even though the exteriors of many of the buildings were covered with thousands of light bulbs. Doctors used a pan to reflect sunlight onto
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1974-456: Was distinctive from its former predecessors in that it was the first exposition to employ a central theme in its overall design and layout, employing extensive lighting on and about the buildings and other structures, along with color, and sculpture to obtain its harmony. It was also the first exposition with a global unifying theme that emphasized the concept of Pan-Americanism. The planning committee considered some twenty different locations for
2021-481: Was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The Delaware Park–Front Park System encompasses the following parts: The centerpiece of the Buffalo, New York parks system and located in the North Buffalo neighborhood. The 376-acre (152 ha) park was named simply The Park by Olmsted; it was later renamed Delaware Park because of its proximity to Delaware Avenue, Buffalo's mansion row . It
2068-423: Was near the edge of Forest Park in St. Louis, now traversed by Highway 64/40. The first "permanent" Statler hotel was designed by August Esenwein and James A. Johnson , built in Buffalo, New York , and offered 300 rooms and bathrooms (later expanded to 450 rooms and baths). It was the first hotel chain to offer such amenity. The hotel was successful and led to a chain of hotels in other cities. Statler's intent
2115-412: Was not to compete with the luxury hotels, but to provide, clean, comfortable, and moderately-priced rooms for the average traveler. Statler was the first major hotel chain to have a bathroom in every room. His innovative Statler Plumbing Shaft is still used in modern construction. From providing paper and pens for correspondence (prominently bearing the Statler name) to a light in the closet, Statler brought
2162-537: Was one of the few vendors to make a small profit. His next venture was the Inside Inn, built for the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri . Another temporary wooden structure, it was the world's largest hotel with 2,257 rooms. A grand success, the hotel made Statler a net profit of $ 361,000 and laid the groundwork for his first permanent hotel. The hotel was then dismantled and sold for scrap. The Inside Inn
2209-475: Was said to be realistic in its presentation. The exposition is often remembered because it was the location where United States President William McKinley was assassinated by an anarchist , Leon Czolgosz , at the Temple of Music on September 6, 1901. The President died eight days later on September 14 from gangrene caused by the bullet wounds. McKinley's last words, from a favorite hymn, were, "Nearer my God to Thee, Nearer to Thee". McKinley's presence at
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