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Peg Price | all galleries >> Galleries >> Historic Tucson > Hotel Congress
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9 November 2003 Peg Price

Hotel Congress

311 E. Congress St.

Constructed in 1919, it was opened to serve Southern Pacific Railroad passengers traveling from El Paso to Los Angeles.
In 1934, a spectacular fire partially burned the structure. Two of Gangster John Dillinger's gang members were staying at the hotel at the time and were captured by alert Tucson police after everyone was evacuated. When Dillinger was arrested at a nearby house on N. Second Ave., he was said to have muttered, "Well, I'll be damned."

This hotel was restored in 1989 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


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Armando Miguélez 23-Dec-2014 12:31
La calle Comercial pasó a llamarse Congreso por este Hotel. Se puede ver una descripción de la calle en "La calle Congreso, ayer y hoy) ( "El Tucsonense", Tucson, Az., 17-III-1927)
Sean 05-Dec-2009 02:54
It's incredible huh? You can find the 1934 AZ Daily Star article on the Dillinger capture online, it has a picture of the house from then. Pretty cool to compare the two and see how much has changed, but the house looks the same.
Peg Price04-Dec-2009 05:41
After reading your note, Sean, I went out and photographed the house. I posted it on my www.PricelessDigitalImages.com site in the "Tucson" gallery.
Who would ever guess such an event happened in that house?? It's in great shape.
Thanks again for clearing up the history.
Peg
Sean 04-Dec-2009 01:04
I took a picture of the house back in April, I can email it to you and if you like it you can post it or do whatever you want with it.
Peg Price28-Nov-2009 22:37
Sean,
Thanks for clarifying, Sean. I'll see if I can find that house and post a photo of it.
Peg
Sean 28-Nov-2009 21:46
It is also worth mentioning that John Dillinger never stayed at The Hotel Congress. Only two of his associates Charles Makley and Russell Clark checked out a room there. Dillinger arrived in Tucson a day or two after the fire and was eventually arrested outside the house they were renting at 927 N Second Ave. I think you should take a picture of that house and post it with all the others. That would be awesome!
james 20-Aug-2007 17:06
I think it is worth mentioning that this was another one of Roy Place's buildings.