{"product_id":"st-charles-hotel-new-orleans-1950s","title":"St Charles Hotel, New Orleans 1950s","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis dapper barman, reaching for a bottle of vermouth and deftly flicking an olive into a martini glass, was on the front cover of a beverage list at the now-defunct St Charles hotel in New Orleans.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis iconic hotel, originally located at 201 St Charles Avenue, opened on February 22, 1837. The five-storey hotel with a Greek-inspired façade was decorated with row of 14 massive Corinthian columns and a domed cupola that resembled the US Capital building.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlmost overnight, it became a success in what was then a booming New Orleans and attracted businessmen, politicians and sophisticated high society ladies-who-lunched. Notable visitors included the English novelist Charles Dickens who wrote classic novels of the Victorian era like Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1851, when the hotel was full with some 800 guests, a fire broke out that ‘lit up the city’ and spread to neighboring blocks, destroying houses and businesses. Guests were evacuated quickly and no-one was injured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe following year, the hotel was rebuilt but two further fires happened in 1876 and 1894. In between – in 1862 – General Benjamin Butler seized the building as headquarters for his Confederate troops fighting the Civil War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1895, the grand old hotel was rebuilt yet again - this time in Beaux Arts style – and continued to be the center of city life until about 1950 when a slow decline began, causing by changing fashions and competition in the hotel business.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was purchased by the Sheraton hotel group in 1959, and ownership was transferred in 1965 to local developer Louis J Roussell. The wrecking ball arrived in 1974 and the Times-Picayune noted: ‘The St. Charles Hotel, born of progress 1835, died of obsolescence 1974, and will be survived by its spirit.’ \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe site lay vacant for a decade, and the skyscraper Place St Charles was erected in 1984.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe believe this menu is from the 1950s\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGallery quality Giclée print on natural white, matte, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using Epson Ultrachrome HD archival inks. Custom printed with border for matting and framing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb style=\"line-height: 1.2;\"\u003eEach order includes a print of the interior menu.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb style=\"line-height: 1.2;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAll printed in USA.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Vintage Menu Art","offers":[{"title":"8.5x11\" Archival Print (Unframed) $25.00","offer_id":57491979731110,"sku":"wto1790053035683","price":18.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"11x14 Archival Print (Unframed) $30.00","offer_id":57491979763878,"sku":"fzo1790053035684","price":19.2,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"13x19 Archival Print (Unframed) $40.00","offer_id":57491979796646,"sku":"aby1790053035685","price":29.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x20 Archival Print (Unframed) $55.00","offer_id":57491979829414,"sku":"jps1790053035686","price":38.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x24 Archival Print (Unframed) $85.00","offer_id":57491979862182,"sku":"zqc1790053035687","price":52.7,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36 Archival Print (Unframed) $135.00","offer_id":57491979894950,"sku":"pik1790053035688","price":102.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/9133\/8662\/files\/st-charles-hotel-new-orleans-1950s_1.webp?v=1790053040","url":"https:\/\/coffeetamper.shop\/products\/st-charles-hotel-new-orleans-1950s","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}