The Royal Crown Hotel really was a grand hotel. That is the feeling I get whenever I see a picture of it.
In Dan Kinakin’s recently recorded song ‘Fate Of The Royal Crown’ he describes it as the ‘jewel of the town’ a place to start a romance, or just a place to have a round of cheer on a Friday night.
Dan’s song also tells of the tears mixing with the ashes after the fire.
I can understand why. When a place as wonderful as The Royal Crown has been in the town as long as it was there must be hundreds of memories and stories connected to it.
The hotel had many owners through the years, each one would renovate and redecorate doing their part in making it the grand hotel that it was.
The townspeople were proud of their hotel, and they would use it for meetings and all kinds of social gatherings.
Even having a meal at the hotel was a special treat. The staff would treat all guests very well, but in June 1948 they had some guests that were given extra special attention.

June 10, 1948
“Mr. and Mrs. Robin Guests At Royal Crown Hotel
“Mr. and Mrs. Robin are guests at the Royal Crown Hotel and when we say guests we mean guests and no fooling.
“A few days ago they selected the outside window sill of Room 49 to take up housekeeping and raise a family and today four nice blue eggs are under the tender care of mother robin.
The staff of the hotel have given their guests every consideration and they don’t rent that room just now, unless absolutely necessary as it disturbs the robins.
“Any guests that do occupy the room however, are asked nicely to be very quiet.”
It really made me feel good to find that even owners of a busy hotel would take the time and effort to care for a family of robins.
As I go through the old newspapers I find many things that make me wish I could have been here for, and going out to dinner and a special evening at the Royal Crown Hotel is one of them.

Back to Back In Time page