Inside The Josephine Hotel ~ Part 1 of 7

Sorry it's been so long since my last post.  But it's been quite busy around the Josephine lately.  I've been helping out a lot with events and various other duties.  I have also been learning much more about the Josephine and I've got lots more photographs of the inside of the building.  A whole lot!  In fact I have so much to tell that I am simply going to have to break this down into parts.  

The Josephine Hotel, the building itself, has had more owners in her 134 year history and more businesses in it than I can begin to count. But it is important to remember a couple of things before you read any further:

1. The Josephine was built specifically as a hotel to occupy the 2nd and 3rd floors. The ground floor would be for three individual businesses to rent space in the three commercial spaces. Countless businesses have occupied those spaces over the years.  But more importantly they have been occupied by some form of business for all 134 years of the building's existence.  Few buildings have that to boast about.  The hotel part of the building continued to be operated as a hotel from 1880 to about 1985.  I don't know of many hotels around the country that have operated for 105 years.  Maybe a few around the country.  Overseas... yes.  But we're talking Union Springs, Alabama, not New York, San Francisco, or Boston. 

2. The Josephine has a future.  You better believe that.  She's not yet ready to be hotel again but she's on her way.  

In this 7 part blog, I will take you on a tour throughout the building. and show you things NO ONE has ever seen before.  I was once again granted access to the entire building. I saw things this time I hadn't seen previously and I can't wait to share it with all my readers. 

Not only will you see how it is now, but I am going to divulge a little privileged information about some of the upcoming plans for many of the spaces.  You're really going to like this, so sit back and relax and join me for an inside tour of the Josephine.

Let's begin with the access staircase.  This is located on the first floor on the retail side of the Josephine Art Center. There are a couple of double doors there, but these are usually locked and closed off to the public.

Below this is the view looking down the access staircase.

Once you arrive on the second floor, you see the long and very wide hall where all the rooms are. At the end you can see the railing for the back staircase which used to lead to the dining room on the first floor.  The plan here for the hall is to paint murals on both sides. 

Then if you look left from the access staircase you would see the grand staircase.  As promised in my previous blog about the stair case I took a lot of extra pictures of it.  

The view from the top.

Below: 

The view from halfway up the staircase.  A couple of things to note here.  At the top of the photo... see that bannister there? That is the access staircase from the first floor.  This is pretty close to where the original stairway that came in directly from the street when the hotel was built. That small squared off area at the bottom just to the right of the newel post is where the registration desk was. 

Another view below.  The plans are to renovate the staircase and make it available for weddings and wedding photos as it was also used for many years ago.  

Not only is this staircase beautiful in everyway, but it is amazing to me that it is absolutely solid.  Not as much as a squeaky step!  Usually stairs this old would creak and crackle, but not here. Solid. 

Another thing that amazes me is the spindles.  Not a one is missing.  They are in the most incredible condition.  Almost like time stood still.

And of course that spectacular newel post.  The picture really cannot capture this size craftsmanship of this amazing piece.  I'm about 5'1 in height and when I stand next to it I would say it's almost to my shoulders. Next time I'm up there I'm taking a tape measure. It's really big. 

Here you can see that beautiful rich dark walnut wood beneath the old ivory paint. It is truly a remarkable piece.

Moving on... just one of many rooms.  Most had a fireplace, but not all.  All of the rooms do have a radiator.  The first door is a closet and the second there leads to a shared bathroom. Most of the rooms all have a sink and some still have the light and the medicine cabinet like in this room. 

Below you see a little more detail in the fireplace and radiator.

Sink and medicine cabinet 

Check out the slat wood wall.

Below is a room at the front of the building.  It's on the northside corner and faces Prairie Street. This room and the adjoining room just behind me will soon be Joyce's room, (the owner).  It will be used like I mentioned in a previous post, as a ART Incubator.  A place to create.  Painting, pottery, sculpting, writing, photography, or whatever you like.   The window will be replaced by late next week.  They are replacing ALL of the front windows to the building.

This room is at the south side corner of the front.  The window was just replaced.  This will soon be my room.  I am so excited to be part of this.  Here I will paint, as I am an artist, jewelry designer, and writer.  I believe in this place I will be inspired.  Several more rooms will be renovated in the VERY near future to local artists of all types who can rent a room of their own at a low nominal fee.  They can be inspired to create, make, and then sell their art downstairs.  It's a wonderful concept for anyone who just wants a inspirational place of their own to create and sell all in the same building.  It's already being done all over the country. 

There is just a magical feeling you'd get when you have a peaceful workplace.  Away from distractions, television, computers, cell phones, work, and kids.  Just you and your creative juices flowing.  This will be a great place for all artist to get together and share ideas, get advice, inspire, and encourage each other.  This IS that place.  If this is something you've always thought you'd like to do, now it the time to be thinking a little more about checking this one off the bucket list.  I'm doing it.  It's so peaceful up there.  Contact Joyce at the Josephine to inquire about it.  There will only be a limited number of spaces.   So call her and get your name on the list. 334-703-0098

There's still a lot more to come in Part 2 of 7

Inside The Josephine

Thank you for stopping by my blog.  If you have any comments I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. 

Best Selling Author Coming To The Josephine

I just couldn't resist blogging about one of my favorite Authors, Melinda Rainey Thompson.  I remember several years ago when her first book was released, I was browsing through various books at the bookstore when I happened upon SWAG, which means Southern Women Aging Gracefully.  I was sold on the name alone, but when I noticed she was from Alabama, I knew I had to read it. 

When I found out the The Josephine Hotel was going to host a ladies luncheon with Melinda as the speaker... I nearly choked on my pimento and cheese sandwich.  Are you kidding me?  She is coming to Union Springs?  Holy Cow!  This is not just big... it's REALLY BIG!  I can't wait to meet her.  I will fill you in on all those details in just a few minutes.  Let me enlighten you a little more about Melinda Rainey Thompson. 

Melinda is actually a small town girl herself.  She hails from Greenville, Alabama.  Went to on to graduated from Tulane University, became an English Professor at Birmingham-Southern College.  She began writing humorous essays, which led to writing her first book.  Melinda is married, to husband Judge Bill Thompson and resides in Birmingham where they are raising three children.

Melinda Rainey Thompson

 In her first book, Melinda hits on various topics from a Southern Woman's perspective.  (We are a unique breed, you know) She talks about everything from swimsuit shopping, squirrel battles, family reunions, sick children, to cemetery etiquette.  We all can relate to these and more.  Her humor is fresh, relatable, and very funny.  

 This was the sequel to the first book.  Equally as funny, it touches on subjects near and dear to us like, how we become our mother, raising children who play sports, dealing with the unexpected, to the fate of manners.  I really like this one too.

This was the third book which is quite funny in my opinion.
I love you - Now Hush is a fresh take on common arguments that will make you laugh out loud and maybe even instill a bit of insight when it comes to the opposite sex.  Also covered are several not-so-common squabbles, such as proper singing etiquette and hoarding mayonnaise jars.  I highly recommend it.

Melinda's most recent book is entitled, I've Had It Up To Here With Teenagers.  This is the only one left for me to buy and read.  Moms with teenagers will love this one. Here's an excerpt:
"Raising teenagers is not for the meek, the tender-hearted or the easily nauseated.  Its a bit like going on a religious crusade, loaning money to a third world country, or hiking your way out of the rainforest without a machete, a GPS or an antivenin kit -- only harder and riskier."  Whether you've raised yours or are still raising teens, you'll get a kick out of this book.

 Now, about the event...

Southern Ladies Day Out - This is a special day for special ladies. Melinda Rainey Thompson will bring laughter to The Josephine while everyone enjoys a delightful lunch and dessert.  The event will take place on Saturday, May 10th at 11:30 AM and may last about 1-1/2 to 2 hours total.  The tickets are $25.00 per person and will include, the speaker, lunch, dessert, the book signing, and all the shopping your heart desires.  You will have an opportunity to meet Melinda, talk with her, and if you'll remember your camera, get your picture made with her too.  Don't feel like you need to run out and buy her books before you get there.  Melinda will have copies of all her books there and they will be available to purchase. 

This will be a wonderful day trip perfect for Moms, Daughters, Sisters, and your Bestest Friends.  

So how do you get tickets?
Just go to the website - http://artatjosephine.com
Click on the photo of the event and book your tickets.

The seating is limited so I would book tickets soon.  

Trust me... you will have a ball and an unforgettable time.

One more thing... 

I know all of us girls get busy taking care of everyone else in our lives that we often put ourselves on the back burner.  Do something fun for yourself.  You deserve it.  Really. 

I know I will be there and hope to see you too!

Who Took Your Picture At The Josephine Hotel?

Know matter who we are, at some point we've all had our portrait taken.  Most of us remember the photographer on school picture day lapping one hand on top of the other, while being told to sit up straight, smile, and don't move.  The back drops, usually blue, very plain and nothing like the ones they use today.  

Then there were those department store portraits like Sears, J.C.Penny's, K-Mart, and many others.  They had even nicer backdrops and even involve props like, armrests, fuzzy rugs, ladders, steps, chairs, toys and so on.  Oh they were nice, but as a kid I really didn't like getting my picture made. This involved getting all dressed up on a Saturday and going down to Sears, then being told where to sit, tilt my head, move over here, don't squirm, don't close your eyes.  Ugh, it was awful.  The only thing good that would come out of that was a trip to the candy counter, which was on the 2nd floor of the building.  I'm from Birmingham, so our Sears had a candy counter.  They also sold Coke Icees and popcorn too.  This made it worth having to endure the portrait sessions. 

I recently learned that The Josephine Hotel in Union Springs, Alabama was the primary place to get photographs made even as late as the 1980's.  So let me share what I do know.  

 The picture below was actually made at The Josephine on the 2nd floor porch by a photographer from the window on the other side of the railings you see in the bottom left.

I know that even in the early years of The Josephine, it was "the" place to get your picture made.  Who wouldn't want their picture made at the most beautiful hotel in Union Springs?

Portraits like these would have been typical at The Josephine

Wedding portraits 

Sisters or maybe best friends?

 And of course, children

Now, in 1932 a new portrait company began setting up traveling studios. You've heard of them... Olan Mills.  They would usually advertise in the local paper when they would be coming to town and would try to use the same place each time.  In this case, The Josephine became that place in Union Springs.  One or two times a year, they would be allowed to occupy space somewhere in the building.  It may have been in a room possibly.  

This is the camera Olan Mills used when they were getting started.

This is what the street scene would have looked like around that time...

This photo would have been made around the mid 1930's

The owner of The Josephine, has been told countless times by locals, that they remember having their picture made there. I would love to see some of those photos.  I bet Joyce would love to have some to display at The Josephine to remember all those who have had the Josephine be apart of their lives at some point.

Also made in the 30's, perhaps a Mother / daughter photo?

Now as I researched this topic for my blog on the subject of photography around the eras I mentioned before, I ran across some rather strange photos that, well for a lack of better words, baffled me. Most of these photos were made around the same time as I mentioned, 1880's to 1930's.  Since I do have a good sense of humor, I picked out some of my favorites and decided to share them with my readers.  I think you'll get a kick out of them and you'll wonder the same as me.  Why?

Whoever told her that hat look good on her... lied.

This woman is not having a good hair day.  She must be from the hot and humid south.

Was this a simple act of defiance or something more?

What do you expect when you put your arm in a storks mouth?

Is this your alligator little girl?

So that's what it's like to be photobombed by a giant stuffed bear.

Remember when we used to go the skating rink?  This is how it got started.  Get a load of those skates.  Early in-line skates?

See what I mean?  Not just why, but what in the world?

I don't even know where to start.  Which is more creepy?  The spear with the dead fish or the costume?  

Oh dear... do you think maybe they're clowns? In a circus?

And lastly...
Everyone one needs a photo of a rooster wearing overalls while his feet are tied to rollerskates.

As long as there have been cameras, there have been strange photos.  Photographs still manage to capture all the important moments of our lives.  We can relive moments from our past, remember the places we've been.  They even record some of the dumbest times in our lives.  

If you had your picture made at The Josephine as a child or adult, Joyce would love to have a copy just to display in a special section of the building, maybe on a wall, just to pay tribute to all those folks who's lives may have crossed paths with The Josephine Hotel. 

Josephine's Masquerade Balls

I learned not long ago that The Josephine Hotel used to host Masquerade Balls.  Since I've never been to one, I was naturally curious as to what a Masquerade ball is all about.  My first thought was that it must have something to do with Mardi Gras.  But, I was wrong.  It actually has nothing to do with that at all.  

Masquerade Balls actually began way back in the 15th century in Venice, Italy. It was a Ball given in celebration of royal weddings and special occasions among the royals and their court.  Then it became part of the Carnival of Venice.  The Masquerade Ball spread throughout Europe in the 16th century and then sort of died off for a while. 

The masked ball made it's return in the late 1800's and that is when it made it's way to the United States.  The Masquerade became a nationwide craze in America.  Everyone wanted to hold these Balls. It was the fun and trendy thing to do in its time.  Remember, the 1880's - 1910's  was the "Golden Age".  This was a time of great opulence and the economy was booming.  I guess you can say there was much to celebrate and hey, who doesn't love a party?

By the time Masquerade Balls made there way to America, the Ball had changed a little.  Americans put a fun little spin on the traditional masked ball.  They often made it into a game of guess who?

 The idea wasn't to just wear a mask, but it was to wear a complete costume that would make someone completely unrecognizable and then hold a contest who see if anyone could guess ones identity.  I suppose the winner or winners would be the person who guessed the most identities and the other winner would be the one who never was identified.  It had to be fun!

Another spin on the Masquerade was themed costumes. Like in the examples below.  So it wasn't always about a mask, but sometimes about being something kind of outrageous or kooky. 

Below: Some of the typical 1880 - 1890's costumes.  

At the Josephine, there were such balls.  Perhaps the masked or the costume kinds.  Maybe even the traditional style. But I do know for a fact that the Josephine did host them as it is recorded in history.  In fact I learned that sometimes over a 100 people were invited to attend and with costumes brought in from places like Mobile and New Orleans for the attendees to wear.  They even brought in a large Orchestra from Columbus, Georgia. 

Standing on the second floor of the Josephine with Joyce, the current owner of the building, we both rub our chins and scratch our heads trying to figure out where they would have put so many people.  There is no obvious answer with the current floor plan. After all, some changes were made throughout it's 134 year history. But, the only conclusion the I can come up with is this...

The Lobby in those early days was quite large.  With the doors open to the balcony, it would have lent some additional space.  The very wide and long hallway could have been adequate for an orchestra.  I know the restaurant would have been in the back of the building and I know that the kitchen and staff quarters were located exactly where Amerifirst Bank sits today.  Yes, I do believe it was possible to pull off a rather nice ball in those days. 

The Masquerade Balls of today are just as lovely as they were then. Many are often held on New Years Eve which would be a fun celebration.  I've seen them advertised as fundraisers and awareness events too.  As a matter of fact, I just saw one being advertised as a fundraiser for the Zelda Fitzgerald Museum in Montgomery, AL. This one is a "Flapper" themed Ball.  You know, the "roaring 20's". They do this almost every year to raise money to keep up the museum.  It's quite the party, but fun and for a good cause.

The masks used for today's Masquerade are really something.  They are adorned with crystals, pearls, shells, gemstones, sequins, feathers, and brooches just to name a few items.  It really depends on the nature of the event.  Formal, informal, New Years, fundraiser, themed, costumed... it can be anything.  This is what determines the type of mask or costume needed.   

So the question is...

Could the Josephine do it today?  You be she could!  There's plenty of room.  As of now, the cafe could seat up to 100 easily.  With chairs and table cleared, the standing or dancing room could be more.  A Masquerade Ball may be exactly what the Josephine needs to help raise funds for renovations so the second and third floors could be opened up.  The facade with that beautiful balcony could finally be restored to her original glory.  Wow, what a sight that would be, huh? 

A Masquerade Ball at the Josephine...  

                                                                     Very Possible!

Josephine would be proud.