Hotel LaFontaine/ LaFontaine Senior Apartments

Opening in 1925, Hotel LaFontaine was the vision of railroad heir, J. Fred Bippus and quite glamorous. The hotel was built in memory of his parents, George and Anna (Purviance) Bippus. It closed in 1974 and nearly everything was auctioned off: including the bowling alley boards. Renovated in 1984, it reopened as the LaFontaine Center, an apartment building for seniors.

Fred Bippus envisioned his dream hotel for Huntington. To solidify what that might incorporate, he sent his daughter to travel nationwide to over 50 hotels to take notes and log suggestions. He and his wife traveled the East Coast on the same mission. His sons George and Albert started learning the hotel administration trade. He selected W.A. Stevens to be his architect, who then hired his nephew Robert W Stevens to work with him. Preparations came to a halt when W.A. was killed in an accident. During this delay, Robert worked on new plans, incorporating new ideas and some old from his uncle. The plans were presented, accepted and work began in 1923.

In October 1925, over 8,000 people visited the hotel in a ten hour period to view the opulent design and features. A swimming pool had an Egyptian motif with imported tiles. The modern bowling alleys were impressive and a promise of leagues to form soon was made by Mr. Bippus. The luxurious design, along with the restaurant, ice cream parlor and other services (shoe shine and stenographer service to name a few) attracted such well known people Amelia Earhart, Johnny Weissmuller (5 gold medals in 1924 Olympics in swimming) and Henry Ford.

Unfortunately the hotel was not a financial success and had a progressive decline. In 1974, the hotel closed its doors. In 1983 the hotel was placed on the Indiana Register of Historic Places which gave it protection from demolition. Renovation began March of 1985 to turn the former hotel into an apartment complex for seniors. Dedication of the building was April 1987 and the building continues to be used in this manner today.

The Huntington County Interim Report, 2^nd Edition, labels the architecture style as Neo-Classical. This style was most popular from 1895 to 1940 in Indiana. “The Neo-Classical Revival style is similar to the much earlier Greek Revival style; however, it differs by its use of elaborate classical detail, usually more permanent materials (brick, stone) and more massive scale. Architects frequently combined elements from Greek, Roman, and Italian Renaissance architecture into one design.” One of features represented of this style is the use of symmetry in the building and the wings. In 1984, Hotel LaFontaine is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also location number 83 on the National Register of Historic Places registration form for the Huntington Courthouse Square Historic District which was approved in 1992.

1. Kurtz, Dave, “Huntington’s Finest Now Disgraced”, newspaper article can be located in vertical file at the Huntington City-Township Public Library. hctpl.info.
2. Francis, Dale, “‘No city…has more to offer the traveler’,” Huntington Herald Press [Huntington, IN], 24 April 1985.
3. "Hotel LaFontaine on U.S. Register,” Huntington Herald Press [Huntington, IN], 16 April 1984.
4. “Neo-Classical Revival Style,”, IN.gov, accessed 9, 2021, https://www.in.gov/dnr/historic-preservation/learn-about-topics/buildings-and-bridges/architectural-styles/neo-classical-revival-style/
5. Huntington County Interim Report 2^nd Edition, Indiana 1982. This book can be located at the Huntington City-Township Public Library. hctpl.info.
6. National Register Digital Places. National Registry of Historic Places. Accessed July 22, 2021. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/85461645-f775-4cf8-a822-d8525b7cf0ba
7. National Register Digital Places. National Registry of Historic Places. Accessed July 22, 2021. https://secure.in.gov/apps/dnr/shaard/r/1de5b/N/Hotel_LaFontaine_Huntington_CO.pdf
8. Hotel LaFontaine History File at the Huntington City-Township Public Library, hctpl.info