Title	Hillside Hotel (Original)
Subject	Hotels
Description	The formal opening of Dr. George E. Denny's new Hillside Hotel took place on June 10, 1924. The main entrance opened into a beautifully furnished lounge. The bedrooms were equipped in "the most modern way and complete in every detail." The dining room had the capacity to care for 200 people. There was a solarium on the first floor. The building was described as "near as fireproof as possible." The exterior of the building was of stucco with varied-colored bits of glass and wide piazzas with command of an excellent view. Edward Pierre of Indianapolis was the architect, the furniture was from Albert Pick and Company of Chicago along with George C. Vail and Sons of Madison, the plumbing was done by W. C. Niesse, the wiring by James Garber, brick work by Peter Stephanus and Sons, the painting was handled by James Peddie and the carpeting and blinds were from N. Horuff and Sons. Mr. Louis Sailor was the general superintendent of the work. Miss Edna Beckett was in general command of the hotel while Frank Denny, brother of Dr. Denny, was in charge of the office. In 1928 it was announced by Dr. Denny in the local paper that he planned to expand and enlarge the hotel to almost double its present capacity and, perhaps, add an elevator. In the 1940s a postcard with a picture of the hotel on one side and room rates on the other boasts of "40 modern rooms" and "excellent food." The rooms rented for $2.25 to $2.50 a night and lunch and dinner were $.50 to $.85. At this time it was under the management of J. E. and L. C. Lucht. The Luchts bought the hotel in 1945 and operated it until 1981. On December 15, 1964 a fire took the building and the life of Richard Brown. Thirty-three other patrons escaped the inferno. It was determined the fire started in Mr. Brown's room. In February, 1965, John and Lydia Lucht announced they would build a new hotel. Construction began that summer and the new hotel opened in the summer of 1966.
Creator	Harry Lemen, photographer Eastman-Kodak Brownie Camera No. 2C model A, with No. 130 film.
Contributors	Madison-Jefferson County Public Library
Date	Pictures taken 1926, 1927, 1928
Type	Negative (2-7/8" x 4-7/8")
Format	Scanned negative, 1200 DPI, online JPG saved at 72 DPI 1000 pixels on long edge with a MicroTek ScanMaker 9800XL. Scan is full frame of negative. No correction of film errors. Slight sharpness and contrast adjustments.
Identifier	"Lemen1035-hillsidefront"
Source	Madison Courier Historical Files
Rights	Permission to reproduce this image for other than personal use must be requested from the Director of the Madison-Jefferson County Public Library. Please contact at 420 W. Main Street Madison, IN 47250 (812) 265-2744