On an April afternoon in 1914, the City of Huntsville was at a standstill. The Daily Times headline read, “Fitting Exercises In Celebration ‘Breaking Dirt’ For New Hotel.” The article following relayed the names of several businesses that would close from 1:30-3 pm that day, and children praised the ceremony for helping end the school day at noon.
Crowds advanced to the city center and patiently waited for the festivities to begin. It was the official groundbreaking of the Hotel Twickenham and Huntsville had never seen such an elaborate spectacle.
At 2 pm, the nearby factories blew their whistles to welcome the hotel into existence. Brass bands boomed, crowds cheered, and a golden shovel—held by a Miss Elizabeth Cooper—officially broke ground.
The Hotel Twickenham claimed its title as the “Pride of Huntsville” during its heyday. An establishment steeped in elegance, Twickenham was the getaway of choice for dignitaries and traveling businessmen, and known as the venue where locals wined, dined, and enjoyed elaborate parties from 1915-1971.
Its life on the corner of Clinton Avenue and Washington Street is one of glory, with stories that often involve the hotel’s famed manager Quincy B. Love. Adored by the community and hailed as one of the most active and progressive members of the town, his passing was greatly mourned.
Today, a municipal parking garage sits where the Hotel Twickenham once stood. But it is fondly remembered as “The Best American plan hotel in Alabama.”
The Hotel Twickenham – “Pride Of Huntsville”
In many ways, the features of the Twickenham Hotel were firsts for Huntsville. Most notably, the hotel was advertised as being fireproof. This was important to many people at the time because fires at the nearby Huntsville Hotel devastated the community in both 1910 and 1911. Clearly, it was still at the forefront of Huntsvillians’ minds.
Creation of the hotel was headed by William F. Struve and Quincy B. Love who partnered to build it at the site of the old Huntsville City Hall.
“Bess Hay, William Struve’s niece, came up with the name ‘Twickenham’ for the hotel,” shared Donna Castellano, Executive Director of the Historic Huntsville Foundation. “The Clinton Avenue hotel had five stories, 80 rooms, and one elevator. And it opened with great fanfare in 1915 with a seated dinner for 200.”
“Never has there been a larger or more representative gathering in this city, for the response to invitations for the banquet was generous.” – The Times, March 11, 1915
Invitations to a grand opening banquet were sent out to the city and welcomed with much excitement. Hallways of the ornate hotel were decorated with bundles of flowers, and guests were treated to an exotic menu of green sea turtle, roast young turkey, and asparagus on toast.
Mr. Love spoke to guests and assured them that the hotel would run on a very high plane business plan. Music played softly in the background as the Florence Orchestra serenaded the room, and toasts were made to a bright future.
The Hotel’s Heyday
It was said that many traveling businessmen would arrange their itineraries around a stay at the Twickenham. Huntsville itself was a popular spot for hotel developments because it was situated between major trade routes. And the city’s scenic beauty even further convinced travelers to have their stopovers there.
For many years, the Twickenham was famous for its incredible service—no doubt thanks to Mr. Love—and delectable cuisine. Guests described the rooms as large, airy, light, and cheerful. They also appreciated the fair pricing when dining in at the establishment.
Twickenham, like many of the other early Huntsville hotels, offered auxiliary businesses like coffee shops, gift shops, pool halls, and a barbershop as well.
Under the attentive management of Love, the Hotel Twickenham won recognition as the “Best American plan hotel” in Alabama. And the sensation of the hotel showed no signs of stopping.
But in 1925, tragedy struck.
The Passing Of Mr. Love
“Death of Love Caused Sorrow,” was the headline of an article in the Times on June 8, 1925. Quincy B. Love passed away at 3 o’clock in the morning, and the city was devastated by the news.
Regarded as one of the most popular men in Huntsville, Love’s passing was observed as a “distinct community loss.”
According to the Times, “Mr. Love was perhaps the most popular hotel man in Alabama, especially with the traveling men. Nearly all of these knew him intimately, and the others who patronized him knew him but to love him.
“He came to Huntsville at a time when our city was practically without hotel facilities and built the magnificent Twickenham, standing as it does ‘The Pride of Huntsville.’”
Love was also remembered for his ability to bring together community leaders and create positive change. Described as a man who was “never satisfied with giving up,” he brought transformation to Huntsville that directed the city to where it is today.
The article closed with a final remark on Love’s success. “Whoever succeeds him there will find a standard of service that should never be lowered…He is gone now and we shall miss him. Peace be to his ashes and may the tender love and benediction of our Heavenly Father attend his loved ones and bless his memory.”
It was later reported that the auditorium at his funeral was full—a testament to the kind of man he was.
A 1984 edition of The Historic Huntsville Quarterly of Local Architecture and Preservation stated “Mr. Love’s untimely death in 1925 dealt a blow to the Twickenham from which it never recovered. His wife managed it for a while, and then his son, Quincy, Jr., but never with his success.”
When the Russel Erskine was built in 1929, it created thriving competition for the existing Huntsville hotels. Although business at the Twickenham slowed down, it remained a popular venue for small parties and dances. Management of Twickenham was passed to different hands during its lifetime, but many still saw the hotel as a monument to Quincy B. Love.
Becoming The Clinton Avenue Garage
Although the hotel closed to guests in 1971, its popularity was briefly revived in 1974 when it served as a downtown senior center. The Fellowship Center, as it was called, transformed the old building into a place for seniors to enjoy dancing, laughing, and social gatherings.
Events at the Fellowship Center were many, and several took place in the Twickenham Hotel ballroom—including a Customs and Cultures luncheon in which people from other countries would bring food to share.
But as time went on, the space once again needed a new purpose. In 1975, the city council voted to build the Clinton Avenue parking garage on the site.
On June 2, 1975, the hotel was demolished, along with other Clinton Avenue buildings to make way for the new city parking garage.
The Revitalization of Downtown Huntsville
Today, the Clinton Avenue parking garage has found new life with the addition of several retail shops to its ground floor. Now known as The Garage at Clinton Row, the development brought back several of the business services that were once offered near the Hotel Twickenham—a coffee shop, men’s wear, boutiques, and others.
The development for the Garage was completed in 2016 and celebrated with a grand opening party. Today, Clinton Avenue is a major retail destination for both local and regional shopping—and a place where locals spend time mingling.
As the City of Huntsville continues to grow, it’s incredible to look back at where we once were.
In the same spot, more than 100 years apart, Clinton Avenue was home to a grand opening celebration. Although the scenery has transformed, the love for our city and the hope for a better future hasn’t changed at all.
Do you have more information on the Hotel Twickenham? We always want to make sure we have the most accurate info. All information in this article is courtesy of the Huntsville Public Library archives.
Contact Haley Clemons at haley@crunkletonassociates.com to add to this story.
Make sure you’re staying on top of the latest trends, newest developments and hottest new stores in Huntsville by subscribing to our weekly blog updates!
HALEY CLEMONS
MARKETING COORDINATOR
CRUNKLETON COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE GROUP
HALEY@CRUNKLETONASSOCIATES.COM
