Sioux City's Warrior Hotel: Iowa Time Machine April 2, 1930

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On April 2, 1930, cranes swung into action at Sioux City's bustling Fourth and Nebraska streets, launching the Fontenelle Hotel. Known today as the Warrior Hotel, that 11-story terra-cotta-clad Art Deco beacon still welcomes travelers.

Sioux City's stockyards and packing plants boomed in the 1920s, funneling Midwest meat to urban tables via rail and river. Local boosters eyed a grand hotel to rival Omaha rivals and snag conventions, enlisting Kansas City architect Alonzo H. Gentry for modern flair. The Eppley Hotel Company, led by magnate Eugene C. Eppley, financed the $1.25 million project on the old Corn Palace site, betting on auto tourists and business swells. Construction raced ahead in the Jazz Age glow, months before Black Tuesday shattered illusions.

Workers erected the 128-foot structure of buff brick and ornate terra-cotta eagles symbolizing Sioux City grit, fitting 250 rooms with private baths and a mezzanine ballroom. Gentry layered setbacks and vertical piers for skyward thrust, while the second-floor lobby overlooked bustling streets. The hotel welcomed guests on December 20, 1930, hosting celebrities and salespeople despite the looming shadows of the Depression. Eppley's chain polished it as a regional gem amid economic tremors.

Decades of name changes followed: Sheraton-Warrior in 1956, then motor inn tweaks before closure in 1976 after strikes and slumps. A $73 million revival by Restoration St. Louis reopened it in September 2020 as a 148-room Marriott Autograph Collection property, blending historic details with rooftop bars and rooftop views. Listed on the National Register since 1985, the Warrior now anchors downtown revitalization, pulling conventioneers back to Siouxland. #Iowa #OTD #SiouxCity #Architecture #ArtDeco