The Blackhawk Hotel - HauntedHouses.com

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HAUNTED PLACE: BLACKHAWK HOTEL

ADDRESS:

200 East 3rd Street #3, Davenport, Iowa 52801

LOCATION:

The Blackhawk Hotel can be found in downtown Davenport on E. 3rd St. between S. Brady Street and N.Pershing Avenue.

Directions: From W. River Dr. turn left on a one way street, South Brady Street. Travel 2 blocks north to 3rdStreet, and turn right onto E. 3rd Street. The hotel is in the middle of this block.

DESCRIPTION/HISTORY:

Standing in front of this once grand hotel, and looking at its front view on E. 3rd Street, The BlackhawkHotel surely does look the part of a haunted hotel as of August of 2008, when Tom and I visited this onceelegant eleven storied brick hotel, with a marble facade, that is currently falling apart in spots. Tom peekedin the front lobby window and saw an abandoned mess. However, when we walked across the street to geta view of its block long side, one can see that this tough old gal still has good structural bones, though theinside is a disaster on some floors. We saw hopeful signs in its parking lot that someone still cared for it.The Blackhawk Hotel is a great candidate for restoration; a long process which will hopefully start soon!

In its glory days, it must have been as grand as The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. This once glorious, high-end Blackhawk Hotel was built in 1915, during an economic boom period in Davenport. It originally was aseven storied hotel. In the 1920s, money was flowing into the city, and so four stories were added, creatinga 400 room brick hotel, with a fancy frontage, complete with marble accents around the windows.

During its long history, prominent guests stayed at the Blackhawk Hotel, from movie stars to politicians.Carey Grant, Carl Sandburg, Herbert Hoover, Richard Nixon and Jack Dempsey were some of its moredistinguished guests.

The joint must have been jumping during the roaring twenties, and throughout the following years, with livemusic, gala affairs in its huge ballroom, and in its more intimate lounge area. Big bands such Guy Lombardoand Stan Kenton played their music for the entertainment of many.

In the late 1970s, the economic growth which was enjoyed in Davenport flat-lined. The city of Davenportjumped into action and took urban renewal seriously, and built a new civic center, called Rivercenter, a goodfirst step in their attempt to revitalize downtown. Over the years this effort to revitalize downtownDavenport has proven to be an uphill battle in which they have made good progress, seeing improvementsas a result of their efforts.

A turn of bad luck for Davenport and The BlackHawk Hotel happened in the 1980s. A farming crisis broughteconomic pain and job loss, which their economy needed as much as a hole in the head.

However, Iowans are tough people who don't give up. In the 1990s, when the economy picked up a bit, aconvention center was built near the Blackhawk Hotel. Plus, many new additions to existing buildings andrenovations took place, and the construction of new buildings such as the Figge Art Museum brought newenergy into the city. Plans to attract visitors downtown started with sprucing up their outside, public areas,such as the fixing up of Modern Woodmen Park. In order to develop the river front area and build a newhotel which was badly needed, the city struck a deal with a gambling organization, The Isle of Capri whoalso bought the then dowdy Blackhawk Hotel. Uh oh!

While this seemed like a good idea at the time, it proved to be disastrous for the Blackhawk Hotel. Itreopened as The President Casinos Blackhawk Hotel, with close proximity to a gaming casino. Unfortunately, The Isle of Capri reneged on building the new hotel which was needed downtown, and provedto be "unkind" to the Blackhawk Hotel, severely neglecting its needs, letting it sink down to the level of alow-budget hotel for their gamblers. Over the next few years, it sank even further, and was described by aformer guest as a "flophouse."

Damage occurred on the inside when some gamblers set up a meth lab, which exploded, causing a fire,damaging one floor. Other floors suffered water damage as a result of fire men's hoses. However, it was thelack of effort during a cold spell to prevent the freezing and bursting of the water pipes which finally closedthis hotel, leaving the convention center in a spot, as there was now no hotel at all, except the Radisson, totake its visitors, making it hard to book shows and conventions there.

After some political wrangling and some good choices made by the city council, the Blackhawk Hotel wasrecently sold directly for a dollar to an experienced, enthusiastic hotel restoration/renovation company,Restoration Saint Louis. The Isle of Capri company was motivated finally to do so because of their owntax bill of 100,000 dollars, and because of the pressure coming from the city council to do so.

In August of 2008, the state of Iowa awarded Restoration Saint Louis, a huge tax incentive of $8.5 milliondollars, a huge tax credit which will help to raise more money through other investors, turning the tax creditinto restoration and renovation funding. This tough old gal of a hotel has a future now, and we can't wait tosee The Blackhawk Hotel when it is finally restored.

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS:

It is unknown why at least two known entities are still visiting this hotel, perhaps making it their home intheir after-life.

People who enjoy, or have a strong attachment to a place during their life-time, sometimes choose to hangaround, remembering their good times, or the events which took place there.

(The Roosevelt Hotel * Saint James Hotel * Menger Hotel * National Pastime Theatre)

Superstar Cary Grant died in a room on the eighth floor from a cerebral hemorrhage on November 29th,1986.

Perhaps, other men and women died here too.

MANIFESTATIONS:

Female entity from the glory days of the Blackhawk Hotel:

A pleasant female entity, dressed in a red or blue evening dress and attire to match, has beenseen floating contently down the halls of the hotel, perhaps on her way down to the grandballroom for an evening of dining, dancing and enjoying great music.

Entity of a musician who used to perform solo or with a band haunts the ballroom.

Some unknown entity plays the piano, as piano music has been heard coming from theballroom, when no one living was there.

The entity of an elderly, well-dressed man has been seen by witnesses going about his business in the hotel- Some say it is Cary Grant.

STILL HAUNTED?

Yes indeed!

While no professional paranormal investigations have taken place, many witnesses over the years havereported the above manifestations.

SOURCES INCLUDE:

geocities.com * ghosttraveller.com * diepart.com * travel.yahoo.com

en.wikipedia.org * hotelsinsider.travelhero.com * qctimes.com

Iowa * ElectionDebates.com * GraphicDesigners.comChristianMusic.com * HomeVideos.com * Romances.com

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