OSKALOOSA — This is a photo of a postcard of the Lacey Hotel, right, and its interior writing room and office to the left of the card. On the extreme lower left can be seen “… for Central Book Store.” Book stores in those days sold cards that were published for them showing pictures of the community. The name “Lacey” undoubtedly came from the family of the brothers John F. and William Lacey. The Lacey hotel’s major competition was the Downing Hotel (it was located in the parking lot south of the Mahaska County Courthouse and was treated in a past “A While Ago.”) The Lacey was located just across the street from City Hall and fire station where Musco has an addition. In the early 1960s, the Lacey burned to the ground, except for the brick spires remaining. It is thought to be the shortest distance the Oskaloosa F.D. ever went to fight a fire. The flames of the fire, occurring in the early morning darkness, could not only be seen in all of Mahaska County, but in all of the surrounding counties as well. Note the fire escape and each room also had a knotted rope to throw out of the window to shimmy down if all else failed. In 1939, there were seven hotels listed: the Downing, the Gentry, the Hogate, the Irving, the Lacey, the Plaza and the Woodrow Welcome Inn. In the early 1900s, most traveling salesmen and other guests came by passenger train on our two rail lines: the M&St.L; and the Rock Island. The Lacey and Downing provided free transportation by horse-drawn Depot Hacks. The driver would “hawk” the train passengers to go to their hotel. Automobile travel brought the earliest motel in Oskaloosa. It was called the Shady Lodge Camp and Silent Nite Tourist Home and was located at South 11th Street and Ninth Avenue East.
— Chuck Russell
A While Ago
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Photo from the Chuck Russell Collection
June 12, 2008
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