28/07/2020
GRAND HOTEL, HANNAN STREET, KALGOORLIE
The Grand in Kalgoorlie was the first permanent hotel on Hannan St built in 1895, by W. J. Reynolds. Reynolds had owned the Grand Hotel in Coolgardie and decided to build one in Kalgoorlie.
The building is of a Federation Filigree style common with the two story hotel tradition in Australia. It is linked with the Palace, Australia and Exchange Hotels on Hannan St. Originally supposed to be built of brick, but the brick maker died before sufficient bricks could be made, so stone was quarried from the Mt Charlotte Gold Mine.
The hotel was designed by the firm of Moline, Summerhayes and Hawkins. In addition to the bar area it had 16 rooms (14 on the first floor) and a billiard room. A roofed courtyard was built out the back which included potted palms and plants to provide a cool shaded area during the day. A large underground cellar 9ft below the front bar was built into the building to provide a cool room. Although there was no ice works in Kalgoorlie at that time a large American style ice box was built with the intent of having ice delivered daily from Coolgardie.
The furniture was brought in Adelaide, South Australia and transported by sea, rail and land to Kalgoorlie. The bedrooms had marbled topped wash stands, mirrors and carpet. The balcony was trimmed with iron lace work. All up the hotel cost £8000, which for the time, was an enormous sum.
In 1897 the first telephone service on the goldfields was installed that linked the hotel with the stables. This was later linked to the telephone line to Coolgardie and the surrounding area.
Like all hotels of the time it played a pivotal role of providing a place to socialise and catch up with local news and current affairs. It was also a place to have a drink.
Image courtesy of: Kalgoorlie Western Argus, 6 Aug 1896.
