Hotel Fosgate

Over the years, The Hotel Fosgate would change names frequently. Originally known as The Jennings Hotel in 1889, it advertised itself as "...the largest and one of the best hotels in the city". The hotel occupied the second floor of the Grote and Church Block. William Grote and A. B. Church were two enterprising men very interested in sustaining the beauty of Elgin. By 1891, the hotel would change names to "The Merchants Hotel" and was managed by a man named Waggoner. In 1903 the name became The Hotel Fosgate.  It would operate under that name until the 1930’s. After two different name changes, the hotel would eventually be torn down to make way for the Civic Center.