Echoes From The Attic and Poems, CASA DE FRESA HOTEL, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Don Johnson, Feb. 2001
Typed by Belford Carver
Written by by Edna F. Campbell
Copyrighted by Edna F. Campbell
With special thanks to her family for permission to use her works.

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IS A HOTEL BY ANY OTHER NAME

CASA DE FRESA HOTEL

A hotel is a hotel by any other name was a point fully agreed upon by the people 
of  Hammond and surrounding towns  when the Oaks Hotel, an establishment completed 
in 1893, changed its name to the Casa de Fresa.

The glamorous name was conferred upon the popular inn in 1930 when a contest 
resulted in the choice of the Spanish interpretation, "House of Berries".  Mrs. 
Maria Mhoon submitted the winning entry.

From the time when Colonel and Mrs. H. William Robinson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa 
started the stately three-story wooden structure, it was a haven for travelers and 
a mecca for wealthy people from the north to spend winter months.  It was 
widely-known as the best between Memphis and New Orleans.

Yearly the Oaks became more famous.  High ranking railroad officials used the 
hotel exclusively for their stopping places, and it was "home" for the strawberry 
salesmen.

The first building was destroyed by fire in 1905 but was rebuilt along the same 
lines and continued operation under the same name.  But in 1929, another fire left 
only the framework.  The hotel was sold and run under the management of Ted Carfiel 
of Exlaivns. France and Malcolm B. Wright, Jr., of Hammond.  Several years later 
the property was sold again to the Malcolm Wrights.  In 1966 the doors of the 
landmark hotel were closed for business.  It is now owned by the Robert Smiths of 
Hammond.

(From ECHOES FROM THE ATTIC, III, 1968, by Edna Campbell)

(Pic The Oaks Hotel 1893.)

(Note: The vacant building was later demolished and has been replaced by a large 
red brick building, the former Citizens National Bank building, which is now named 
AmSouth Bank. BEC, 1/2001)
(See also Part I "From Oak to Berries, Landmark Hotel Stirs Historical Memories" 
and VII "Old Beauty Unknown future".)