Thursday, July 22, 2010

Mystery History -- Solved


Well, people nibbled around the edges but didn't quite make it to this week's Mystery History solution.

In the photo above, chambermaids from the Hotel Maryland compete in a promotional bed-making contest in 1931.

There was a mad dash from the starting line:


Bed linens were flying as the chambermaids rushed to complete the task:


Pretty beds all in a row.


The winner with the fastest bed-making time: Blanche Scott.


Located on Colorado Street between Los Robles and Euclid, the Maryland was a resort hotel built in 1903. After it burned to the ground in April 1914, it was rebuilt (designed by Myron Hunt) and then demolished in 1938 to make way for The Broadway department store.

The hotel spanned from Walnut Street on the north to Colorado Street on the south, Los Robles Avenue to the east and Euclid Avenue to the west. The only remaining portions of the hotel are a building of condos on the northeast corner of Union and Euclid, and fountains behind All Saints Church that are now incorporated into Plaza las Fuentes.

A.M. Clifford was fire chief from 1901 to 1919.


From the Pasadena Fire Department website:
The Maryland Hotel fire turned out to be particularly difficult to extinguish, as a large natural gas line under the hotel continued to spew forth flame long after the hotel had burned to the ground. In spite of all efforts, the valve to shut off the gas could not be located until hours later, when it was found underneath a recently poured cement sidewalk.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess anything can be a sport.

I have an old, old postcard w/a drawing of the Hotel Maryland. Beautiful place. (By the way, is there anything Myron Hunt didn't design around here?)

Latino Heritage said...

This one was really a winner. Love to learn new things. Thanks.

Susan C said...

And then, in an effort to get the gardeners to work faster, they sponsored a lawn mowing contest.

This is the first I've heard of the Maryland Hotel.

Patrizzi Intergarlictica said...

Is the fireman's account supposed to make me feel better that this beautiful building was torn down? That sweet pink lady. Aw
well, at least it wasn't dozed for the infamous Plaza Pasadena.

Oh Myron Hunt has taken a beating, hasn't he? At least they tried to pay homage to him with the remnants of the Ambassador Hotel. Now integrated into a new LA school.

Working as fast as I can! said...

whoooHA

pasadenapio said...

Dianne, the Hotel Maryland apparently didn't stand a chance, what with the fire and then the total demolition. It went the way of so many luxurious resort hotels in Pasadena back in the day.

Pasadena Adjacent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Pasadena Adjacent said...

My great grandfather took a solo visit to Pasadena in 1909. I have the post card that he sent back home to Blue Hill Nebraska. He must of brought home a positive description because as soon as my grandfather left for college five years later, my great grandmother left for California

Patrizzi Intergarlictica said...

Awesome PA!

pasadenapio said...

What a nice piece of family history.

Petrea Burchard said...

Wow, great post. And great post card, PA!

I once found a beautiful black and white photo of the Maryland on the web, but I couldn't find it tonight. It was huge.

Sarah Leigh Blomgren said...

PASADENA WAS A LOT OF FUN IN 1920 LOTS TO DO YOU KNOW THE THE HOSTED A ZEPPELIN ON THE LAND WHICH IS NOW THE WW1 WAR MEMORIAL ON FAIR OAKS , SOUTH PASADENA, RIGHT NEXT TO THE OAKLAWN BRIDGE WHERE THE WAR MEM BLDG SITS

Sarah Leigh Blomgren said...

SORRY I DID NOT PROOF THIS THAT WAS THE OLDE RAYMOND HOTEL WHO HOSTED THE ZEPPELIN IN SOUTH PASADENA ACROSS FAIROAKS FROM THE RAYMOND HOTEL