07/05/2019
Finally made some time to work up a new then-and-now set.
This week's then-and-now set features The Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center, as viewed from Rose Street.
Designed by architect Sherwood D. Ford, The Marcus Whitman Hotel was constructed with the goal of bringing more visitors to Walla Walla. Construction began in September 1927, and the grand luxury hotel opened just under a year later. The hotel lost much of its stateliness over time, and many of its spaces were converted into apartments and condos. In 1999, local businessman Kyle Mussman purchased the building, undertaking a meticulous renovation project that has restored the hotel to its original grandeur. For more information on The Marcus Whitman Hotel, visit http://bit.ly/2HkOxbF.
Info about the photographer from Archives West (http://bit.ly/JboydEllis): “John Boyd Ellis was born July 25, 1894 in Perry, Iowa. He moved to Olympia, Washington with his family. He attended the University of Washington and Western Washington University. After graduation J. Boyd became the principal of Marysville High School, Washington until 1921 when he began photographing his state and purchased a photography studio in Arlington, Washington. His business was mainly tourism postcards and was called the Ellis Post Card Company. J. Boyd had a son, Clifford B. Ellis who was born March 1919 and who joined the photography business. In 1959 J. Boyd retired from the business and Clifford continued to operate the studio. The Ellis studio produced around 5,000 postcards both by John Boyd and Clifford. J. Boyd died in 1983 and Clifford died in 1992.” 📷
