Keeler’s Hotel, at the southwest corner of Broadway and Maiden Lane in Albany, around 1908. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.
The scene in 2019:
Keeler’s Hotel was one of the leading hotels in Albany in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It stood on the west side of Broadway, just south of Maiden Lane, and for most of its existence it was run by William H. Keeler. Born in Albany in 1841, Keeler opened Keeler’s Oyster House on Green Street when he was in his early 20s, and it soon became one of the most popular restaurants in the area. Then, in 1871 he sold the restaurant to his brother John, and he went on to have a successful career in local politics, including serving as a city alderman, street commissioner, and as sheriff of Albany County.
After his time as sheriff, William Keeler returned to his previous career and opened a restaurant at 26 Maiden Lane. This storefront was still a restaurant when the first photo was taken around 1908, and it is visible in the distance on the far right side of the photo, just underneath where the second-story fire escape dips a few feet. However, by this point Keeler had significantly expanded beyond the restaurant. In 1890, he went into the hotel business by constructing this five-story building next to his restaurant, which became Keeler’s Hotel.
The hotel was popular both for travelers and for long-term boarders, although only men were allowed here as hotel guests. Women were permitted to eat at the restaurant, but only via a separate entrance on the Maiden Lane side of the building. Many of the guests here at the hotel were state legislators and other government officials who worked up the hill at the state capitol. Future governor and presidential candidate Al Smith was a regular, as were a number of Tammany-affiliated Democrats, including one of its leaders, Timothy D. “Big Tim” Sullivan, who boarded here in the early 20th century.
William Keeler died in 1918, and as it turned out his hotel did not outlive him by very long. Just over a year later, the building burned in an early-morning fire on June 17, 1919. The fire was detected around 3:00 am, and within two hours the entire building was destroyed in what newspapers described as “one of the most spectacular [fires] in the city’s history.” The hotel’s 226 guests were all able to get out of the building, thanks in part to the abundance of fire escapes as shown in the first photo. Newspaper accounts also give credit to the hotel’s telephone operator Anna Briggam, who remained at the switchboard as long as she could, in order to call the rooms and awaken sleeping guests. However, one firefighter was killed in the blaze, after a wall collapsed on top of him.
The site of the hotel was subsequently redeveloped as the Arcade Building, which was completed in 1928 and is still standing here today. With five stories, the new building is similar in size to its predecessor, but its sleek Art Deco design is very different from the cluttered exterior appearance of Keeler’s Hotel. It originally housed stores on the ground floor and office space on the upper floors, but in 2015 it was converted into luxury apartments.
Even I, far from a local historian, realize this article fails miserably to give the rich history of Keeler’s. Disappointing to say the least.
What else should I have included about the building?
Great piece! I’m in this building almost every week day at Stacks Coffee House
I owned and operated a graphic arts business on the first floor of the Arcade Building from 1988-1995 under the name The Graphic Line. Nice to have this photo. I distinctly remember the big union strike by the employees of Cottrell & Leonard in previous years. Rather than agree to unionizing, the owners closed the business and moved to Florida leaving hundreds of employees jobless. C & L was the largest cap and gown manufacturer on the east coast. You can see their name on the facade next to Keeler. It was a miracle that the fire dept. saved the C&L Building while the 5 story Keeler burned to the ground.
I own a glass basket with Keebler Hotel, Albany NY inscribed on it. It was given to me by a friend of my Grandmother who said she danced at the hotel as an “entertainer” and this was her souvenir of the event.
I own several Sadler prints which I was told once hung in Keeler’s Restaurant in Albany . Can anyone verify if Sadler prints did in fact adorn the walls of the restaurant.
Bill and Joan. William “Bill” Keeler and my Aunt Agnes Downs Keeler lived at 10 Wards Lane. My family lived in the Dutch Village from about 1941 until after WWII when my father, who was employed by GE in Schenectady until he transferred to GE Radio and Television Division which was located at the new Electronics Park in Liverpool, NY (on the outskirts of Syracuse) when GE opened the newly formed Radio and Television Division. I believe the year was about 1946. My Aunt Agnes and Bill had the print in their apartment (10 Wards Lane) and mentioned asked that it be mine after they passed as it was a picture I used to like to see each time we visited them through the years. It came to me from my mother when she and her sister settled Agnes Keelers estate. Aunt Agnes was my God mother. Actually the picture was hung in the hotel bar until it closed and then Bill hung it in their appartment. Bills father owned a bar in the old Keeler hotel and Bill’s fathers brother was the proprietor the “Keelers Restaurant” located in Albany. So yes, Sadler prints were likely on the walls of the hotel and restaurant. If you can provide any other information I would appreciate it. Regards, Neil Hayes, 4373 Lynnville Crescent, Va Beach, VA 23452 – 757-498-1195
My Uncle was Willian “Bill” Keeler, who for much of his life lived at 10 Wards Lane, Menands just east of Albany and to the south of the Dutch Village. My parents live in the Dutch Village during WWII. I too also have a print by WD Sadler. It is of en gathered around a 10th man sitting in a room. One of the men is standing, pipe in hand, in front of a roaring fireplace and his friends are gathered around him. There is a table in the room with a number of men seated at it and large fireplace in the background.
How long does moderation take?
My grandfather, per the census, was a “Cook” at the hotel alongside Jack’s restaurant
founder in 1880-1910+/- ?. Fred H. Vogel. His grandson was the Executive Chef at Jacks 2021-2023 +/- (Chad Rosenstien didn’t work out as a partner) He’s now partner in The Delaware 300 Delaware Ave 2023-present.
What info can I get that might be out there?