In the first half of the 20th century, Paterson was a vibrant hub nicknamed Silk City a leading center for textile and locomotive manufacturing. It was the kind of place that nurtured Allen Ginsberg and inspired poets like William Carlos Williams. It was also the kind of city that was proud of its working class roots as well as its luxurious indulgences. When people talked about fancy hotels in those days, they talked about the Alexander Hamilton. The hotel was a natural magnet for the rich and powerful, a handsome eight story brick building that was just two blocks from City Hall and surrounded by stores and the famed Fabian Theater. The Hotel was described as Traditionally Elegant: From intimate dining to lavish banquets, the magnificent public rooms of the Alexander Hamilton provide the perfect setting for social and business events of every description. The Alexander Hamilton Hotel was the best in New Jersey -- an institution associated with elegance and power a place where high society wedding receptions were held in the Main Ballroom and political deals were cut in the Hamilton Bar. When it opened, the Paterson Evening News printed a special edition, and billed the new hotel as a monument to a noted national character and a great civic asset to Paterson. The citys Chamber of Commerce financed the $1.5 million construction project in an effort to boost the citys status as a sophisticated metropolis. The News pointed out the buildings unique architectural features: a Georgian style lobby with dark oak paneled walls, cascading from floor to ceiling, a marble staircase with a wrought iron banister, crystal chandeliers and sconces. The colonial style dining room boasted arches, pillars and an ornamental ceiling. The Elizabethan style grille room featured a grapevine motif ceiling and a raised stage for musicians. In the main ballroom were Paterson made mirrors and silk wall coverings in gold and pale lavender. It was quite the place. Ill never forget it, said Vincent Waraske, a city historian. He recalled how Patersons elite — such as Harry B. Haines, the influential publisher of the Paterson Evening News, and Bertram Meyer, President of the Meyer Brothers Department Store kept a suite of rooms on the hotels top floor. After Lou Costello became a big star, he would visit his native Paterson and stay at the hotel and wave from his suites balcony to adoring fans. Other notables who stopped at the hotel included aviator Charles Lindbergh, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and future President Ronald Reagan. The Alexander Hotel was a magnificent hotel in its day. It is yet another very proud remembrance for our Paterson generation.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 14:52:06 +0000
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