This early 1920's Hotel Stowell sign has been carefully preserved for nearly 100 years.  It is equally captivating and expressive in both the story it contains.  Through it's rich history of one of Los Angeles's early skyscrapers and evolution from a day hotel to current lofts, to one of it's early prominent residents Charlie Chaplin creating the most famous film characters of all time "Little Tramp" while in residence.  The coffee colored brown enamel paint makes a great backdrop for it's early font and advertising in off yellow which shines through in vibrant contrast.

Dimensions:

17"w × 17"h (measured from square sides)

24"w × 24h (measured from the triangle sides) *how the sign original hung

History:

When the Hotel Stowell first opened its doors on Spring Street in 1914, the area was rapidly gaining a reputation as “The Wall Street of the West.” Architects Frederick Noonan & William Richards finished the Stowell’s long narrow façade in green glazed brick and tan stone that provided a striking addition to the downtown silhouette. N.W. Stowell, the hotel’s namesake owner/builder, was a booster of the local economy and was quite proud that the hotel was built almost exclusively of local materials including cement from Riverside, Terra Cotta from Tropico (Glendale) and tiles from Pasadena. So much local material went into the hotel it led the Los Angeles Times to declare it “a representative ‘made-in-Southern California’ exhibit in itself.” Rates at the Stowell originally ranged from $1.50-$5.00 a day with guests treated to several unique innovations including a “no tipping” policy and a “wives stay for free” policy, presuming they were with their husbands. In addition to the usual amenities, each bedroom had running ice water and its own vending machine, a grandfather of the mini-bar, which, for 25 cents, one could purchase “Tooth brush, tooth powder, cold cream, talc powder, shaving soap, and safety razor.”

Hotel Stowell was designed to cater to those with business in the financial district, but it also had its fair share of motion picture and theater people in residence. In his imaginatively entitled 1964 autobiography My Autobiography, Charlie Chaplin described the hotel (which he remembered as the “Stoll”) as “a middle-rate place but new and comfortable.” Chaplin, who could have lived in far grander quarters but was too cheap to do so, had taken up residence here in 1915 while making films for Essanay Pictures. In his book he related a humorous incident that took place at the hotel after learning of a telegram making the then eye-popping offer of $25,000 for a two-week engagement at New York’s Hippodrome. He immediately called his current employer

G.M " Broncho Billy" Anderson

in San Francisco to ask for the time off, but with connections such as they were in 1915, he wasn’t able to reach Anderson until 3AM. “My bedroom window opened out on the well of the hotel, so that the voice of anyone talking resounded through the rooms. The telephone connection was bad. ‘I don’t intend to pass up twenty-five thousand dollars for two weeks work!’ I had to shout several times. A window opened above and a voice shouted back. ‘Cut out that bull and go to sleep, you big dope!'” Although he only remained at Essanay and the Stowell for a year, it was a critical period in the life and career of Chaplin and the development of his “Little Tramp” characterization.

"Sir Charles Spencer “Charlie” Chaplin was one of the most important and influential figures in history, named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Centuryfor the "laughter he brought to millions." Chaplin's extraordinary talents included acting, writing, and composing. Several of his films are considered among the greatest in all of cinema. Chaplin’s iconic “Little Tramp” character transcends the movie industry and is known around the world. At the height of his fame and artistry, Chaplin lived and worked in Los Angeles. From his favorite lunch table to his namesake studio, here are ten places where you can discover Charlie Chaplin’s Los Angeles." (Discover Los Angeles)

The Hotel Stowell constructed in 1913 occupied 414-418 Spring Street between 4th and 5th Street.  Twelve stories high with a 60 foot facade it had 264 rooms upon completion, and at one time considered the epicenter to the banking district known as the Wall Street of the West. The designer was Fredrick Noonan under the architect firm Frederick B. Noonan. The New Hampshire-born land developer and irrigation specialist Nathan Wilson Stowell (1851-1943) developed his eponymous hotel, spending about $400,000 to complete it in 1914. Modern day it has gone through a transformation to the El Dorado Hotel into the newly renovated El Dorado Lofts in 2013. After an extensive $25.7 million restoration by Downtown Properties, that lasted three years, its Gothic Revival and Art Nouveau features are now a feast for the eyes once again. Although the building now is home to trendy loft condominiums (The El Dorado Lofts- priced incredibly well at $200,000+) the lobby's columns and walls feature prized tiles produced in the early 1900s by the Pasadena-based Batchelder-Wilson Company. It is a joy to see a building, that was shuttered since 1992, spring back to life and add to the beauty and history of downtown Los Angeles.