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old employee's keys to the TOP HAT kitchen of the LeCLAIRE HOTEL, Moline IL

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    Posted 6 years ago

    AnythingOb…
    (1778 items)

    Another thing 'found again' today in boxfuls of other stuff while looking for something else. <sigh><lol>

    These old keys apparently used to unlock things in the TOP HAT kitchen of the LeCLAIRE HOTEL in Moline, Illinois.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeClaire_Hotel

    According to the history stated there, I'd guess I probably got them from some 'salvage sale' shortly after the Hotel ceased operations as such (when I lived in the Quad Cities) then was eventually reborn as an apartment building (as it apparently still survives?) after I'd moved away from the Quad Cities.

    The keyring itself is just a chunk of solid brass bar-stock metal (roughly 5-1/2" long) with "TOP.HAT.KIT." stamped onto each side and holes on each end for split-rings. One end also has a LeClaireHotel masonite keytag attached which was probably typical of 'guestroom keys' there sometime, but instead of an embossed/inked room number it only has hand-stamped lettering "KITCHEN D.D.". on its face. (whatever that meant to the employees then?) None of the keys themselves are terribly unusual, but two of the three at one end are stamped (sic) "COFFE" and "UP RITE" and one at the other end is stamped "SILVER".

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    Comments

    1. AnythingObscure AnythingObscure, 6 years ago
      THANKS SO MUCH to: Newfld, Brunswick, hunterqlee, fortapache, & jscott0363 for the <love it>s!!

      Indeed Thomas, that's the place. I lived there for about a decade before moving here (in Rock Island, technically) and in fact had a friend who was an executive for Deere, so got to tour that plant on numerous occasions. (*way cool* experience, BTW) Nowadays, I drive thru Hamburg every once in awhile, but don't often stop... :-)
    2. history2004, 3 years ago
      I live in this building. I love my apartment and the history of the building is amazing.

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