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HOTEL NAVARRO NAME
OF CORSICANA’S NEW $300,000 HOSTELRY
BUILDING IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED FOR OCCUPANCY IN EIGHT
MONTHS
The name of the new hotel, construction work on which has been started, will
be the Hotel Navarro.
The name has been selected by the hotel committee of the Corsicana Chamber of
Commerce and is in honor of Jose Antonio Navarro, a Texas patriot, and for whom
the county took its name.
Navarro was a native Mexican, born in San Antonio, February 27, 1795. He died
and was buried there in the year 1870. Navarro’s services to his native country
as one of the men who made Texas free illuminates the page of history along with
other signers of the declaration of independence, the framers of the
Constitution and opponents to Mexican tyranny.
When the Texas revolution against Mexico broke out in 1835 Navarro’s sympathies
were with the Texas colonies and he aided them in many ways. When the convention
met at Old Washington early in 1836 he was elected a delegate from Bexar. After
the Republic was organized he served in its congress. In 1840 he was appointed
by President Lamar one of the commissioners to accompany the Santa Fe
Expedition. Taken a prisoner by the Mexicans along with others of the
expedition, Navarro was taken to Mexico City where Santa Anna sentenced him to
life imprisonment in the castle of Juan Ooloa. It was while a prisoner for four
years that Santa Anna endeavored to induce him to turn against the Texans by
offering him a reward of high office and other things, but he steadfastly
refused to respond to the overtures. In 1845 Herrera succeeded Santa Anna to
office and immediately released Navarro. The patriot returned to Texas by way of
Galveston and proceeded to San Antonio. He was then elected a delegate to the
convention that framed the constitution under which Texas went into the Union,
and served in the first state senate.
In 1846 when Navarro county was carved from what was then Roberston county, it
was named in his honor, Corsicana was given the name of the county seat two
years later. The name of Corsicana was selected at the suggestion of Navarro in
honor of the birthplace of his father, who was born on the Island of Corsica. On
this same little Mediterranean island Napoleon Bonaparte was born.
The new hotel will cover a ground space of 100 by 100 1-2 feet, will be
constructed of reinforced concrete brick, stone and tile. The exterior will be
faced with a rough texture, mat faced, brown brick of mingle shade trimmed with
stone. The entrances and central windows will be emphasized with ornamental iron
balustrades. The main entrance of the hotel proper will be by Eleventh street
with ladies’ entrance on West Fifth avenue. Entrances will lead into the
commodious lobby with terrazzo floors colored in black, red and yellow. Lobby
wainscoat will be of San Saba marble with walls and ceilings of ornamental
plaster.
In the main lobby will be located the telephone booths, cigar and news stands,
telegraph office and clerk’s office. These will all be in reach of the entrances
and electric elevators.
From the lobby a with terrazzo floor with ornamental iron balustrades leads to
ladies’ lounge and ballroom on the second floor. Another staircase leads to
men’s washrooms and basement. The office lobby will have entrances to the café,
drug store, barber shop, beauty parlor and haberdashery, all of which will be on
the ground floor.
The café will be of 36 by 50 feet dimension with terrazzo floor and ornamental
plastered walls and ceiling. All ground floor woodwork will be of brick with
mahogany center.
From the lobby the upper floors are reached by high speed passenger elevators.
At the elevators on second floor will be a large lounge room for ladies 25 by 18
feet, with restrooms being easily accessible. Across from the lounge is the
ballroom same being 32 by 50 feet.
The ballroom will be equipped with a hardwood maple floor and ornamental
plastered walls and ceiling, and practically completely surrounded with large
casement windows giving necessary ventilation.
Twenty-two guest rooms are also located on second floor. The third, fourth and
fifth floors are typical, having 27 guest rooms each, each room being provided
with private bath, the bath to be of tile walls and floors. The upper four
floors are to be built in the shape of a U, having a 24 foot by a 50 foot court
facing south, which allows two large outside windows for each room. There will
be no inside rooms in the entire hotel.
A vacuum heating system will be installed throughout the building and all baths
and toilets will be connected with the ventilating system. This will insure the
air to be changed in the rooms each fifteen minutes by a series of ducts and the
large exhaust fans. Each room will have a ceiling light, two wall lights and
base plug for electric fans. Each room will have telephone connections, and will
have adequate fire escapes and fire protection.
Vehicle entrance for transporting supplies and baggage in and out of the hotel
will be by entrance on Eleventh street near the rear of the building. A freight
elevator will be operated connecting with the trunk room on the lower floor to
all the floors.
The cafeteria will be on the ground floor at the rear of the main building and
will be connected with dumb waiter service to the banquet halls above.
The building is designed so that a roof garden may be added at any time in the
future.
The general contract is being handled by L. H. Lacy Company, of Dallas. Bids are
now being received on sub-contracts for heating, plumbing, electrical fixtures,
plastering and painting.
G. H. Griesenbeck, of Dallas, is the architect. The hotel will be completed and
ready for occupancy in eight months.
The Corsicana Daily Sun - Saturday, August 9, 1924 - Submitted by
Diane Richards
Notes:
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Navarro County TXGenWeb