Hotel Warden
From Licking County Library's Wiki!
The Hotel Warden was a former landmark located in Newark, Ohio, on the corner of East Main Street and South Second Street.[1] The history of the location as a hotel site dates back to 1802 when Black’s Tavern was erected.[2] Throughout the years, the site changed ownership many times and hosted numerous boarding houses including Houston Tavern, the Green Tavern, Buckingham House, and McBride House. Hotel Warden was established in 1887 when the property was taken over by Frank Warden. The hotel remained in his family’s care until 1939, when it was sold to Mrs. Malcolm Baker, Sr. and Mrs. J. Fulton Van Voorhis. Eventually, competition from modern hotels caused the owners to close Hotel Warden on March 28, 1959. The hotel was demolished in 1966 and is currently the location of a Wendy’s.[3]
Legend of the Mason’s Trowel
A local legend associated with the hotel is the “Legend of the Mason’s Trowel”. It is believed that while working on expanding the building a bricklayer fell from the hotel and died. A trowel which could be seen in the cement on the north side wall of the hotel was said to have been placed there to memorialize his death.[4] When Hotel Warden was scheduled for demolition, the trowel was saved. [5]
L.K.
Return to Hotels and Inns main page.
References
- ↑ Dave Richardson, “Warden Hotel Crumbles Into History.” The Advocate, March 16, 1966.
- ↑ “Progress doomed Warden Hotel,” The Advocate, March 13, 1959.
- ↑ Richardson, “Warden Hotel Crumbles Into History.”
- ↑ Chalmers Lowell Pancoast, Our Home Town Memories, (Newark, OH: Chalmers Lowell Pancoast, 1958), 90.
- ↑ Richardson, “Warden Hotel Crumbles Into History.”
