Submitted by:
E. Louis Towne

Today I received a copy of an article from the May 19 paper calling for memories of the Davenport Hotel. This is not my memory but my memory of a

    high point in the life of my wife, Irene Caroline Luelloff, when she was a little girl at Richland, Washington, where she was born. She was born on the farm in 1920 and never left the lower Yakima valley until the "historic trip to the Davenport Hotel when she was 11". This also was the longest trip until she went to Pullman to attend and graduate from the State College of Washington. She died last June so can't provide the story now.

    Irene's parents settled at Richland shortly after irrigation was established in the area. Early in their life there Otto started raising turkeys and in seeking markets he found the Davenport Hotel. Apparently he

    also got acquainted with Harry Davenport. In 1931 Davenport invited the entire family consisting of Irene's parents, brother, sister and herself as guests for a week end.

    The family was assigned the bridal suite. This was her first stay in any hotel. As a result this was a top memory in all her travels. The family was given full reign in the hotel and went tlhrough the various portions of the hotel. She commented on seeing the money washing machine in the basement

    and many of the other features in such an outstanding trip. Her greatest embarrassment came in the dining room when the matre d' saw whe was having

    trouble cutting her meat and came over to help her.

    She enjoyed telling of her first trip away from home. It remained a favorite although she later traveled over much of the world.