The Roosevelt

As the historic Roosevelt Hotel prepares to reopen in June 2009, it seemed fitting to resurrect an old courtesy letter from Roy Bartlett to one of Tulane University's librarians in response to a request to accommodate participants in the 1942 Convention of the Southwest and Southeast Library Associations.

The letter, the first page of which is reproduced above, further itemizes the hotel's rates and modernizations. At the time, a single room with a bath carried charges of $3.50, $4.00 and $5.00 per day. The Roosevelt claimed to have acted as the headquarters for 95% of the conventions hosted in New Orleans until 1941 and 90% of the conventions scheduled for 1942.

The Southeastern Architectural Archive retains the Roosevelt's 1941 portfolio, which includes photographs of the exhibits space, typical single and double rooms, lobby and bar.

The new Roosevelt is requesting stories of its past. If you have personal narratives about the hotel, especially its Sazerac Bar, click here.

Image above: Letter from Roy Bartlett to R.J. Usher, dated 1 August 1941. Miscellaneous Photographs Collection, Southeastern Architectural Archive, Special Collections Division, Tulane University Libraries.