The Oaks Hotel, also historically known as Casa de Fresa (“House of Berries”), was once a landmark hotel in Hammond, Louisiana, that originally opened in 1893.
Historic Name: Oaks Hotel (Casa deFresa)
Locate today, AM South Bank main branch 201 NE Railroad Ave
City: Hammond
Parish: Tangipahoa
State: LA
Status: Destroyed
Date Placed on Register: Dec. 29, 1978
The Oaks Hotel (Casa deFresa) served as a first-class lodging place for travelers for half a century. Prestige was gained through wealthy Northerners who came south in the early days to avoid the severe winters, and salesmen in the strawberry industry as their wives chose the Hammond hotel in preference to all others in the area. The original Oaks Hotel founded by Col. and Mrs. H.W. Robinson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was destroyed by fire in 1905 but was rebuilt and enlargied. Around 1930 the name Casa de Fresa appeared. The hotel continued to be the mecca for persons associated with the strawberry crop. The Hotel was located were the Regions Bank Main Branch, 201 Nw Railroad Avenue, Hammond.
Letterhead from Oaks Hotel in Hammond
letterhead from the Oaks Hotel that George Frank Hermann obtained when they stayed there in 1907 on their honeymoon. submited by George Frank Hermann’s Grandson
Echoes From The Attic and Poems, CASA DE FRESA HOTEL, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Don Johnson, Feb. 2001 Typed by Belford Carver Written by by Edna F. Campbell Copyrighted by Edna F. Campbell With special thanks to her family for permission to use her works. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ IS A HOTEL BY ANY OTHER NAME CASA DE FRESA HOTEL A hotel is a hotel by any other name was a point fully agreed upon by the people of Hammond and surrounding towns when the Oaks Hotel, an establishment completed in 1893, changed its name to the Casa de Fresa. The glamorous name was conferred upon the popular inn in 1930 when a contest resulted in the choice of the Spanish interpretation, "House of Berries". Mrs. Maria Mhoon submitted the winning entry. From the time when Colonel and Mrs. H. William Robinson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa started the stately three-story wooden structure, it was a haven for travelers and a mecca for wealthy people from the north to spend winter months. It was widely-known as the best between Memphis and New Orleans. Yearly the Oaks became more famous. High ranking railroad officials used the hotel exclusively for their stopping places, and it was "home" for the strawberry salesmen. The first building was destroyed by fire in 1905 but was rebuilt along the same lines and continued operation under the same name. But in 1929, another fire left only the framework. The hotel was sold and run under the management of Ted Carfiel of Exlaivns. France and Malcolm B. Wright, Jr., of Hammond. Several years later the property was sold again to the Malcolm Wrights. In 1966 the doors of the landmark hotel were closed for business. It is now owned by the Robert Smiths of Hammond. (From ECHOES FROM THE ATTIC, III, 1968, by Edna Campbell) (Pic The Oaks Hotel 1893.) (Note: The vacant building was later demolished and has been replaced by a large red brick building, the former Citizens National Bank building, which is now named AmSouth Bank. BEC, 1/2001) (See also Part I "From Oak to Berries, Landmark Hotel Stirs Historical Memories" and VII "Old Beauty Unknown future".)