Bigelow-Ben Lomond Hotel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Bigelow Hotel is a historic hotel located at 2510 Washington Blvd. in Ogden, Utah. It has also been known as the Ben Lomond Hotel, Radisson Hotel and Ben Lomond Historic Suite Hotel. It was added to the National Register in 1990, Building #90000637. It is notable for its architectural significance and events.

[edit] History

The Bigelow Hotel was constructed in 1927. The building is located on the southeast corner of Washington Boulevard and 25th Street in Ogden, Utah. It achieved, and has held, the distinction of the largest hotel in the city of Ogden from the time of its construction. It is considered one of three "grand hotels" in Utah. The other two hotels are the former Hotel Utah, and the now-demolished Newhouse Hotel.

On the site of the Bigelow has previously stood another hotel, the five-story Reed Hotel (1891). A. Peery, a local businessman, decided to build a modern hotel in its place. A corporation and 300 shareholders was organized for the funding and management of the project.

The architectural firm of Hodgson & McClenahan, notable for other fine works in Ogden, was hired to draw plans for the hotel. Other projects done by this firm include Peery's Egyptian Theatre, Ogden High School, Ogden/Weber Municipal Building, the Regional Forest Service Building and several Prairie School residences in the Eccles Avenue Historic District.

The construction cost for the building has been stated at $1,250,000 in 1927.

[edit] Significance

It is a fine example of the Italian Renaissance Revival style, common in the 1920s, but unusual for Utah. The building stands as a prime example of the growth and economic development in Ogden during that decade. The exterior was finished in a terra cotta style, highly ornamented, especially on the sides that face 25th Street and Washington Boulevard.

Inside, themes ranged from an Arabic-style coffee shop to a Florentine Palace ballroom. A meeting room for businessmen's clubs offered a touch of old Spain, while the English Room used old wood paneling influenced by a room in Bromley Castle, England. The Georgian Room was decorated in Adamesque style, but the Shakespeare Room, with murals painted by local artist LeConte Stewart, was the jewel of the Hotel.

The Hotel gained national attention when, in 1928, it played host to the Western Democrats convention. The Western States "Smith for President" campaign signaled to Democratic leaders that Alfred E. Smith would be a force in the presidential election of 1928. This event was covered in the October 3, 1927 issue of Time Magazine.

Marriner S. Eccles acquired the Bigelow Hotel in 1933 and renamed it the Ben Lomond Hotel. It remained a functional hotel for more than 40 years. Several owners, including Weber County, have used it for different purposes, including offices. Radisson purchased the hotel in the 1980s and refurbished it. Currently the Hotel guest room section is under renovation as part of a conversion to a combination hotel suite and condominium complex.