This nearly windowless and decrepit hotel is the future site of the Legacacy Hotel and Conference Center shich is being developed by Rivergate Properties, LLC.
The large building in the background to the right is the Post Office and Federal Building.
Many famous people visited here, inclding Bonnie and Clyde as the account below suggests.
John Pecorella, remembered the day that Bonnie, Clyde and Henry came into Texarkana. Clyde had pulled up in front of the Grim Hotel located in downtown Texarkana, Texas, on State Line Ave. In 1934, the Grim was the "Crown Jewel" of Texarkana, hosting many parties for the rich. With elegant rooftop gardens, it featured many big name bands' and dancing. The Grim was the "in" place in Texarkana at that time.
It was also known to host illegal card games for the highrollers of the 30's. Bonnie was inside the Grim, eating a sandwich, while Clyde and Henry Methvin waited outside in their car. After a while, Clyde had become edgy, and sent Henry Methvin inside to fetch her.
Bonnie was at the counter eating a sandwich, when Henry entered and pretended to be reading a magazine. When Bonnie and Henry made eye contact, she then knew that it was time to leave. An employee at the Grim, had recognized Bonnie from a magazine photograph she had seen of her.
It is believed that the outlaw trio had also robbed the National Guard Armory in Texarkana. They proceeded north for approximately 5 miles on State Line Ave. which is also US Hwy 71. They were seen getting drinks at a roadstop at the intersection of US Hwy 71 & Sugar Hill Rd. Later, they were seen entering into northeastern Oklahoma.
Immense by the standards of the time, The Grim Hotel (named for prominent businessman William Rhodes Grim) stood a full eight stories tall with two hundred and fifty rooms and was built to standards that attest to the affluence of the times. The exterior walls of the hotel were made of alginate stone and reinforced with concrete - while the lobby, the showcase of this grand structure, featured caen stone walls, Kasota marble wainscoting, a Black Belgian marble base and a contrasting White Alabama marble floor.
The hotel quickly became a tourist attraction, as well as the city's social center. With architecture evocative of old Spain, the first floor housed the famous Palm Court and the main dining room, while the mezzanine with its wrought bronze railings was home to a beauty parlor, a barber shop, a drug store, a coffee shop and a private dining room. The roof, made with Imperial Spanish tile and supported by a structural steel frame, afforded a magnificent view of the city. Home to a spectacular garden, the roof top could quickly be converted to a huge ballroom capable of accommodating large numbers of guests.
Beyond its architectural significance and social impact, the hotel made a powerful statement about Texarkana's vision for the future. Moreover, The Grim Hotel made a tremendous commercial contribution - helping open the door for further development and spurring the city's economic growth. Perhaps most importantly, the hotel became a resounding tribute to the city's pride and a legacy for future generations.
This nearly windowless and decrepit hotel is the future site of the Legacacy Hotel and Conference Center shich is being developed by Rivergate Properties, LLC.
The large building in the background to the right is the Post Office and Federal Building.
Many famous people visited here, inclding Bonnie and Clyde as the account below suggests.
Info below from: http://texashideout.tripod.com/texarkana.html
John Pecorella, remembered the day that Bonnie, Clyde and Henry came into Texarkana. Clyde had pulled up in front of the Grim Hotel located in downtown Texarkana, Texas, on State Line Ave. In 1934, the Grim was the "Crown Jewel" of Texarkana, hosting many parties for the rich. With elegant rooftop gardens, it featured many big name bands' and dancing. The Grim was the "in" place in Texarkana at that time.
It was also known to host illegal card games for the highrollers of the 30's. Bonnie was inside the Grim, eating a sandwich, while Clyde and Henry Methvin waited outside in their car. After a while, Clyde had become edgy, and sent Henry Methvin inside to fetch her.
Bonnie was at the counter eating a sandwich, when Henry entered and pretended to be reading a magazine. When Bonnie and Henry made eye contact, she then knew that it was time to leave. An employee at the Grim, had recognized Bonnie from a magazine photograph she had seen of her.
It is believed that the outlaw trio had also robbed the National Guard Armory in Texarkana. They proceeded north for approximately 5 miles on State Line Ave. which is also US Hwy 71. They were seen getting drinks at a roadstop at the intersection of US Hwy 71 & Sugar Hill Rd. Later, they were seen entering into northeastern Oklahoma.
Info below from: http://legacycorporatecenter.com/building.html
Immense by the standards of the time, The Grim Hotel (named for prominent businessman William Rhodes Grim) stood a full eight stories tall with two hundred and fifty rooms and was built to standards that attest to the affluence of the times. The exterior walls of the hotel were made of alginate stone and reinforced with concrete - while the lobby, the showcase of this grand structure, featured caen stone walls, Kasota marble wainscoting, a Black Belgian marble base and a contrasting White Alabama marble floor.
The hotel quickly became a tourist attraction, as well as the city's social center. With architecture evocative of old Spain, the first floor housed the famous Palm Court and the main dining room, while the mezzanine with its wrought bronze railings was home to a beauty parlor, a barber shop, a drug store, a coffee shop and a private dining room. The roof, made with Imperial Spanish tile and supported by a structural steel frame, afforded a magnificent view of the city. Home to a spectacular garden, the roof top could quickly be converted to a huge ballroom capable of accommodating large numbers of guests.
Beyond its architectural significance and social impact, the hotel made a powerful statement about Texarkana's vision for the future. Moreover, The Grim Hotel made a tremendous commercial contribution - helping open the door for further development and spurring the city's economic growth. Perhaps most importantly, the hotel became a resounding tribute to the city's pride and a legacy for future generations.