Stetson University College of Law main tower - formerly the Rolyat Hotel
In the early 1900s, Gulfport experienced its share of the Great Florida Land Boom, with the development of Pasadena-on-the-Gulf, now called Pasadena Estates. Pasadena Progress was the official newsletter published for the new Pasadena-on-the-Gulf community. This development was designed as a "residential paradise", and the Rolyat Hotel was the last phase of construction before the Great Depression hit.
Built in 1925,[1] the Hotel Rolyat (Taylor spelled backwards) was named after I.M. Jack Taylor, its owner and the president of Pasadena Estates, also known as "Handsome Jack" Taylor. The architectural firm of Kiehnel & Elliott of Miami, Florida designed the Spanish-themed hotel under the direction of project architect Paul Reed. George A. Fuller Construction Company of New York City served as the general contractor and John Wanamaker supplied the furnishings and china.[2] The Rolyat opened January 1, 1926 with celebrities in attendance and champagne flowing in the main fountain.
Designed to replicate a Spanish feudal castle with buildings surrounding a central plaza. The main tower was designed to resemble the Torre Del Oro (Tower of Gold) in Seville, Spain. The Rolyat boasted 100 guest rooms on its property of several buildings, towers, fountains and arcades.[3] The roof tiles came from Spanish monasteries; they were made by hand and created by shaping the clay over the upper leg. "All the woodwork is of solid cypress timbers colored and antiqued...with wooded trusses having ornamental bands-and the wooden timbers are brilliantly decorated with many colors on Medieval lines."[4]
^"Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker: Pinellas". Florida Department of State. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
^Swygert, M., Vause, W. (2006). Florida's First Law School; history of Stetson University college of law. Carolina Academic Press
^Brown, L. (2009). Gulfport; a definitive history.
^Pasadena-on-the-Gulf, Florida's $1000,000,000 Development-"A Slice of Old Spain" 2 (a several page-though not paginated-printed and undated document presumably a Pasadena-on-the-Gulf promotional brochure, probably issued by the development's owners in 1926 or 1927) (on file at Stetson U. College of L., Gulfport, FLA)
rolyat, hotel, this, article, uses, bare, urls, which, uninformative, vulnerable, link, please, consider, converting, them, full, citations, ensure, article, remains, verifiable, maintains, consistent, citation, style, several, templates, tools, available, ass. This article uses bare URLs which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting such as reFill documentation and Citation bot documentation September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message The Rolyat Hotel now the Stetson University College of Law is located in Gulfport Florida in Pinellas County on the west coast of Florida Stetson University College of Law main tower formerly the Rolyat Hotel In the early 1900s Gulfport experienced its share of the Great Florida Land Boom with the development of Pasadena on the Gulf now called Pasadena Estates Pasadena Progress was the official newsletter published for the new Pasadena on the Gulf community This development was designed as a residential paradise and the Rolyat Hotel was the last phase of construction before the Great Depression hit Built in 1925 1 the Hotel Rolyat Taylor spelled backwards was named after I M Jack Taylor its owner and the president of Pasadena Estates also known as Handsome Jack Taylor The architectural firm of Kiehnel amp Elliott of Miami Florida designed the Spanish themed hotel under the direction of project architect Paul Reed George A Fuller Construction Company of New York City served as the general contractor and John Wanamaker supplied the furnishings and china 2 The Rolyat opened January 1 1926 with celebrities in attendance and champagne flowing in the main fountain Contents 1 Description 1 1 Architecture 1 2 Amenities 1 2 1 Rolyat Hotel Owner Operators 2 Famous Guests 2 1 Baseball 2 2 Golf 2 3 Socialites Entertainers 3 Historical events 4 Past and Current Occupants 5 Photographs 6 ReferencesDescription editArchitecture edit Designed to replicate a Spanish feudal castle with buildings surrounding a central plaza The main tower was designed to resemble the Torre Del Oro Tower of Gold in Seville Spain The Rolyat boasted 100 guest rooms on its property of several buildings towers fountains and arcades 3 The roof tiles came from Spanish monasteries they were made by hand and created by shaping the clay over the upper leg All the woodwork is of solid cypress timbers colored and antiqued with wooded trusses having ornamental bands and the wooden timbers are brilliantly decorated with many colors on Medieval lines 4 Amenities edit Horse stables Golf Fishing Tropical gardens Rolyat Hotel Owner Operators edit I M Jack Taylor 1925 1927 Soren Lund 1928 leased Hugh Jay Fuller Company New York 1929Famous Guests editBaseball edit George Herman Babe Ruth Jimmie Foxx Mickey Cochrane Rube Marquard Cy Perkins Golf edit Walter Hagen Chick Evans Gene Sarazen Jock Hutchinson Joe Kirkwood Sr Laurie Ayton Bob Macdonald Bobby Jones Socialites Entertainers edit Cornelius Vanderbilt III Daniel Guggenheim Frieda Hempel Opera singer Galli Curci Opera singerHistorical events editBabe Ruth signed his 1932 Yankees contract officially in the lounge and a second time for photographs in the Plaza Mayor at the Rolyat Hotel John Coolidge son of ex President Calvin Coolidge and Florence Trumbull s hosted their 1928 engagement party at the hotel Past and Current Occupants editFlorida Military Academy 1932 1951 Stetson University College of Law 1954 present Photographs edit 5 Hotel Rolyat Burgert Brothers PhotographsReferences edit Florida Historical Markers Programs Marker Pinellas Florida Department of State Retrieved 3 December 2014 Swygert M Vause W 2006 Florida s First Law School history of Stetson University college of law Carolina Academic Press Brown L 2009 Gulfport a definitive history Pasadena on the Gulf Florida s 1000 000 000 Development A Slice of Old Spain 2 a several page though not paginated printed and undated document presumably a Pasadena on the Gulf promotional brochure probably issued by the development s owners in 1926 or 1927 on file at Stetson U College of L Gulfport FLA http digital archives stetson edu cdm search collection LawRolyat 27 45 22 N 82 43 08 W 27 756 N 82 719 W 27 756 82 719 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rolyat Hotel amp oldid 1159044135, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
