Nov. 17, 1975
Smoke continued to billow from the Alhambra Hotel - corner of Cunningham and Pillow Streets - at dawn as fireman from the Butler City Fire Department poured thousands of gallons of water into the 65-year-old building. Sixty-year-old Robert Walker died in the fire.
from: The Butler Eagle
8 comments:
I hoisted a few there. Do I recall correctly that this blaze was, or at least was popularly considered to be, arson linked to organized crime?
I well remember when that happened. We used to say to each other after the fire, "Let's go down to the Alhambra and get some fire-brewed Stroh's Beer".
The 'conventional wisdom' at the time was that it was payback for a botched job up in Connecticut....
I had a few in my time when I lived in West Butler. Nice place
My former Wife the a bank teller who deposited Pete Betres' cash for the factory fire in Connecticut. About 1974. The FBI flew her to Connecticut to testify. I knew Pete Betres who at that time was the owner of the Alhambra. Pete was convicted and went to prison.
It was only named "Alhambra" a short while (maybe a year or so) before the fire. Prior to that it was the Clinton Hotel. There were two bars and a kitchen on the first floor and twenty five hotel rooms on the upper floors. One of the bars (a night club really) was called The Elbow Room and was the venue for some very talented entertainment from all over the United States. Many bowling teams held their annual Christmas parties in the Elbow Room as did many other social organizations.
It was only known as the "Alhambra" for a little more than a year. It was the "Clinton Hotel"
Contrary to popular belief, the hotel was located at the intersection of First Ave, and West Cunningham Street. Pillow Street begins one black away from West Cunningham St. at the intersection of First Ave and Second Ave. First Ave is only one block long.
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