The bawdy Olympic Club opened in 1908 as a "gentleman's resort," and had a barber shop, shoeshine stand, cafe, bar, card room, pool
room and cigar counter, complemented by urbane furnishings such as Belgian crystal and Tiffany lamps. The elegant trappings were
meant to coax loggers and miners to leave their week's salary behind. And they often did. Next door, what began as the Oxford Hotel
and New Tourist Bar was built in 1913 for railroad travelers. The hotel became especially noteworthy when in 1921 the train-robbing
bandit Roy Gardner was captured in the hotel after escaping from federal guards days earlier and riding to Centralia on the cow-catcher
of a slow-moving train. Jack Sciutto, the Olympic Club's original proprietor was crowned "King of Bootleggers".
Wednesday,
To add a comment, please register or login.