[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 82 (Thursday, June 5, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1154-E1155]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE VAIL HOTEL

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                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 2003

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
pay tribute to a longtime landmark of Pubelo, Colorado, the Vail Hotel. 
Opened in 1911, the Vail Hotel was once known as the most luxurious 
hotel west of Chicago. Its many custom windows, doorknobs, and its 
tasteful use of wood and stone, truly make the Vail Hotel an 
architectural wonder. Over the years, the hotel's beauty attracted 
President Woodrow Wilson, Clark Gable, Tallulah Bankhead, Jack Benny 
and generations of Puebloans to its gracious halls.
  However, without the love of the people of Pueblo, even this great 
treasure would not be as marvelous as it is today. I am impressed by 
the numerous craftsmen who labored to restore this magnificent 
building, from Kathleen Sheard-Hodges, who painstakingly restored many 
of the jeweled windows and recreated missing ones, to Bill Agnes, who 
salvaged tiles to restore and extend the lobby's gorgeous mosaic floor. 
Also among those deserving of praise is Gary Trujillo, the lead 
architect for the renovation, who restored the building with 
painstaking attention to its historic past and for its remarkable 
beauty.
  Mr. Speaker, it is fitting to mention one of this country's 
magnificent historic landmarks. The Vail Hotel serves as an example of 
the pride and hard work that the citizens of Pueblo have dedicated in 
making their home a more beautiful place. Built by Puebloans, restored 
by Puebloans, and beloved by all, it gives me great pride to recognize 
today this historic building, as well as the efforts made to restore 
it. Its beauty and history enrich the Pueblo community and will be 
cherished for generations to come.

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