1915 Renaissance Hotel with Hollywood Haunting
101 Main Street, Davenport, IA 52801
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$$
Hotel room rates $150-300+ per night
Access
Wheelchair OK
Downtown urban location, elevator access
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1915 · Art Deco Preservation · Luxury Hotel Heritage · Downtown Davenport Anchor
The Hotel Blackhawk represents early twentieth-century American luxury hotel architecture. On February 16, 1915, the first seven floors of the "New Fireproof Hotel Blackhawk" were completed and opened to the traveling public. The building was constructed at a cost of $1 million—a substantial investment reflecting its ambitious scope and appointments. Developer W.F. Miller commissioned the structure to replace the Saratoga Hotel, which had previously occupied the downtown Main Street location.
The architectural design, executed by the Davenport firm of Temple & Burrows with associate Arthur Ebeling, synthesized Italian Renaissance and Art Deco stylistic elements. The rusticated limestone entry-level stonework, granite pedestals, and terra-cotta pilasters on the main facade exemplified Renaissance influence, while rolled corners and streamlined forms reflected emerging Art Deco modernism. The result was an eleven-story brick and terra-cotta structure that commanded downtown Davenport's visual landscape.
The original configuration provided 225 guest rooms, each with private bathroom—a luxury not standard in many contemporary hotels. This amenity signaled the venue's aspirations toward the highest tier of American hospitality. In 1920, five years after opening, four additional stories were added, expanding capacity to 400 rooms and establishing the hotel as one of the region's most substantial lodging facilities.
Throughout the twentieth century, the Blackhawk hosted an impressive roster of prominent guests including presidents Herbert Hoover, Richard Nixon, and Barack Obama. Author Carl Sandburg, boxer Jack Dempsey, and musical ensembles led by Guy Lombardo and Stan Kenton all stayed within its walls. The hotel's ballroom became a performance venue for major musical attractions during the big band era.
The Blackhawk was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, recognizing its architectural and historical significance. Following substantial restoration, the property was converted to Marriott Autograph Collection management, maintaining operations as a luxury hotel while preserving its architectural heritage.
Sources
The Blackhawk Hotel's paranormal reputation centers on the death of renowned actor Cary Grant. On November 29, 1986, Grant attended a fundraiser in the hotel's main ballroom. During the event, he suffered a stroke that ultimately proved fatal. His death occurred on the 8th floor of the hotel, establishing a powerful association between the actor and the location.
Following his death, staff and guests began reporting sightings of Grant's apparition in the hotel corridors. Visitors describe encountering a tall, distinguished male figure in formal attire moving through hallways, particularly near the 8th floor and ballroom areas. The accounts suggest deliberate, purposeful movement rather than residual haunting loops, implying responsive intelligence or conscious attachment to the location.
The ballroom has become a focal point of paranormal activity. Multiple witnesses report hearing phantom piano music emanating from the ballroom when the space is unoccupied and instruments are locked. The music is described as intermittent rather than continuous, occurring during evening and nighttime hours when the ballroom typically lies empty. Staff attributions of this phenomenon to Grant reflect his association with the entertainment industry and the ballroom's role in his death.
Additional apparitions enhance the hotel's paranormal profile. Guests have reported encountering the figure of a woman in a red or blue evening gown, suggesting either a single entity manifesting in different attire or separate female spirits. These apparitions typically appear in hallways and common areas, observed briefly before vanishing. Some accounts describe a tall, dark shadow figure moving through various rooms and corridors.
Paranormal investigators have documented activity consistent with these long-standing reports. The phenomena appear responsive rather than purely residual, with manifestations sometimes occurring in response to visitor presence or expectations. The combination of documented death, celebrity association, and consistent witness accounts across decades has established the Blackhawk as a recognized location on paranormal investigation circuits.
Notable Entities
Overnight accommodations at the haunted Blackhawk Hotel. Guests frequently report paranormal phenomena including apparitions, unexplained sounds, and a sense of presence. The 8th floor, where actor Cary Grant passed away, is particularly active.
Tour the Blackhawk Hotel's restored historic spaces, including the main ballroom with its grand architecture, the piano where phantom music is reportedly heard, and backstage areas. Learn about the hotel's history and documented paranormal activity.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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