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Historic Evansville

The definitive site for all things historic in Evansville

McCurdy Hotel

McCurdy Hotel
McCurdy Hotel

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101-111 SE 1st St, formerly 401-415 Upper 1st St
Evansville, IN

Quick Timeline

1917 The McCurdy Hotel opens its doors
1969 Hotel falls into bankruptcy and closes
1970 Building is converted to residential and nursing facility

Location

South corner of 1st St and Locust St
District: Downtown
Latitude: 37.968662254947
Longitude: -87.573791742325
View map of nearby sites


Architecture

Style: Colonial Revival
Architect: Dietz,H. Ziegler (St Louis)


History


Comments

The McCurdy Hotel was developed as "a luxurious facility to aid the city's expansion efforts". It was named after Col. William H McCurdy, local industiralist and investor. The aging St George Hotel, on the existing site, was razed in 1915 to build this magnificent hotel. Designed by H Ziegler Dietz, the u-shaped, 8-story building featured a grand Rose Room located on the top floor. The hotel was built in opened for business on June 17, 1917.

During its heyday, the McCurdy was operated as a Van Orman hotel. According to the Courier & Press' archives, several prominent guests stayed at the McCurdy including Katharine Hepburn, Clark Gable, Sen. Joseph McCarthy and Richard Nixon.

Business at the hotel dwindled in the late 1960s and McCurdy fell into bankruptcy. The hotel closed its doors March 16, 1969.

Local businessman Robert E Green bought the hotel and reopened it. By October 1970, however, Green sold the building to Medco Corp, which stated its intention to turn it from a hotel into a residential facility and retirement home.

In 1989, it was resold again, becoming the McCurdy Healthcare Center.

In June 2006, McCurdy was renamed Riverwalk Communities and changed its cliental focus. After several violations and citations from the Board Of Health. The facility agreed to cease operations.

Plans are in place now to convert the building into upscale apartments.


See also

HistoricEvansville.com: Other
HistoricEvansville.com: Downtown district

Research notes

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