|
|
|
"Hotel Blennerhassett"
or
"The Blennerhassett Hotel"
Parkersburg, Wood Co., West Virginia, USA
The city of Parkersburg lies on the east bank of the Ohio River, across the water from "Blennerhassett Island" (Wood County, West Virginia) and the city of Belpre (Washington County, Ohio). The district of Parkersburg directly opposite the island is called "Blennerhassett" and several businesses, clubs and institutions in the surrounding area took their name from the island.
Perhaps best known is "Hotel Blennerhassett", a.k.a.
Built at the junction of Fourth Street and Market Street when Parkersburg was booming because of the new oil and gas industry, it was initially intended to be named "The Argyle". Opened in 1889, it was first leased to George Campbell and quickly became a landmark, well known to travellers on the Ohio River. The hotel is listed in the U.S. "National Register of Historical Places". |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hotel Blennerhassett - first stationery 1889
detail of envelope |
|
"real photograph postcard" c1910-1918 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hotel Blennerhassett
GEO[RGE] CAMPBELL, Proprietor.
PARKERSBURG, W[EST] V[IRGINI]A
The building was leased to George Campbell
when newly built in 1889. |
|
"Real Photograph Postcards" (RPPC) are original photographs developed directly on photographic paper of the same size and weight as a conventional postcard, with postcard markings on the reverse. The image is not printed onto the card but a quantity of almost identical cards could be made from a single negative.
The earliest "Real Photograph Postcard" was produced in 1899.
|
|
|
Hotel Blennerhassett first stationery 1889, envelope mailed 1891 |
|
"Blennerhassett Hotel" stationery, envelope mailed 1955 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hotel Blennerhassett - Ohio River flood 1913 - "real photograph postcard" AZO |
|
|

|
|
|
| |
BLENNERHASSETT HOTEL, PARKERSBURG - 5 & 10 cent MERCHANT or TRADE TOKENS (early 20th century)
|
NOTE: For this "Blennerhassett Club" token / identification tag, click here |
"Schenkman's West Virginia Merchant Token Catalog", Parkersburg p.294
|
Schenkman's Catalog: B34-5, |
5 cents brass, 21 mm diameter |
BLENNERHASSETT HOTEL
PARKERSBURG, W. VA. |
|
|
|
Schenkman's Catalog: B30-5, |
5 cents brass, 21 mm diameter |
|
|
|
|
Schenkman's Catalog: B35-10,
chamber pot shape, encased
|
10 cents aluminium, 33x39 mm
1902 Indian Head one cent coin
|
|
|
BLENNERHASSETT HOTEL
JNO. S. McKOWN, PROP.
GOOD FOR 10¢ IN TRADE
PARKERSBURG, W. VA.
JUNG & CO. CIN, O.
|
GO WAY BACK AND SIT DOWN
KEEP ME
& NEVER BE CAUGHT SHORT
PAT. APL'D FOR |
What may be a variant in brass of Schenkman B36-5 is archived as Call No.843 in West Virginia and Regional History Collection :
"Stamped brass token from the Blennerhassett Hotel, Parkersburg, W. Va. - Verso side had: Good for five cents in trade at Bar."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
KEY FOB
|
|
|
MATCHBOOK
|
|
|
|
"Hotel Blennerhassett" Matchbook Cover, c1955-1960 |
"Hotel Blennerhassett" key fob 1950s (above) & 1960s (below)
|
|
| |
|
|