Source: North Manchester Journal, January 14, 1897
The Hotel Sheller
It is the proud boast of North Manchester that in
no city in Northern Indiana can be found better hotel
accommodations than those afforded by the Hotel Sheller,
located at the corner of Walnut and Second streets, this
city. The genial and courteous proprietor, "Holly"
Sheller, is a born hotel man, as all will attest who
have been so fortunate as to partake of the good cheer
afforded by his popular hostelry. Mr. Sheller is an
experienced hotel man and commands the patronage of the
best trade by affording every comfort and convenience
which the most fastidious guest might exact. The Hotel
Sheller has found great favor with the traveling public
and is recognized at home and abroad as North
Manchester's leading hotel. The best evidence of "Holly"
Sheller's personal popularity and the high standard at
which he maintains his hotel is the fact that
ninety-nine per cent of the commercial travelers who
visit North Manchester become his guests. Commercial
travelers possess an unerring instinct which guides them
to the best hotels along their respective routes, and
their presence in such large numbers at the Hotel
Sheller is proof strong as Holy Writ that they concede
it to be the leading hotel of North Manchester. Another
magnetic attraction possessed by the Hotel Sheller is
"George." There is but one "George" in all this wide
world and he can be found only at the Hotel Sheller.
Source: Aurora (1923) Ad:
Hotel Sheller
The Place for Manchester students to bring their
friends.
North Manchester's
LEADING HOTEL
Source:
Aurora (1925) Ad:
HOTEL SHELLER
Special Dinners.
Courteous Service
Hot and Cold running water
½
Square North of Post Office
H.B. Sheller Prop.
Source: Aurora
(1936) Ad:
Unexcelled for its
Clean Rooms
Good Beds
Excellent Meals
Special Arrangements for Clubs and Parties
THE NEW HOTEL SHELLER
Source: NMHS Newsletter, May 2006
The Hotel Sheller
One of the
great stories of history in North Manchester is the
story of the historic Hotel Sheller. There are so many
aspects of this story. One might be the tale of the
great and glamourous who have stayed there when they
made their brief appearance on local stages: Lillian
Russell, Faye Templeton or Dolly Fox. The author, Lloyd
C. Douglas, lived at the hotel when he was a young
pastor of Zion Lutheran Church. Thomas Marshall, Vice
President, was a guest at the hotel.
Up until
about 1925 what was called the wide-open system was used
at the hotel. This system was outlined in a sign on the
counter, placed there whenever no clerk was at the desk
at night. The sign read, "Please register. Take a key
and find your room. Pay at the desk after 5:30 a.m."
The result
was described by a Chicago man in a letter to the
Chicago Tribune telling of an experience that had
happened on his travels. He told of stopping at the
Hotel Sheller, a "homey looking hotel", late one night
and ringing the bell for service. No one answered and
when he found the note on the table, he followed the
directions and had a good night's sleep.
When he
came down in the morning there was still no one around,
and he left and went home without ever seeing a single
person. But he did mail the money for the room.
In an
interview in 1983, Jane Sheller said that during her
first years at the hotel, "We wouldn't have lost pay for
more than four or five rooms using that system."
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