re: .

Went back to the Bellemont today, for what I'm thinking will be the last time for me. Rick Portier from WAFB came along, as did Colleen from AbandonedBatonRouge.

I took more pics and am adding them to the flickr account, rearranging them so the 1957 pictures I got from the library are next to the current pictures. Lots more to add.

I swiped the Wheel of Booze today. ;) Got some ribbing from Rick for it, and complete disdain from my husband. "You seriously want to put THAT in our house?" I don't know, I think it's kinda cool. Rick says it was a drink special promo wheel, probably from the 80s based on the prices of the drinks.

I didn't see the Matador pic this trip through. It was ripped and stretched in a few places, doubt it was worth anything. Did find (and keep) a bunch of blank checks and some old stationery and plastic cups with their logo on it.

I say, "swipe," I did slip some green to my pal Charlie. Charlie is a sexy beast. Just sayin'. I'm married, but I ain't dead. ;)

The couch is in great shape at a glance but it is SO nasty from mold and funk... no idea if it could be reupholstered or redone somehow without that horrible stench in it forever.

WAFB's piece is set to run on Sunday, probably the 10:00 newscast, Rick says.

Today we ran into a gentleman who had been a bellhop there at 13 who had shaken John Wayne's hand there "a couple of times," sometime in the 60s, he thought. He was looking to buy some equipment for his restaurant. He's good friends with Billy Cannon and can get you in touch with him if you wanted to ask him about the painting, olegreg.

The huge chandelier in the Great Hall will definitely be sold, it's just a matter of getting it down. I don't know if it's been posted here, but the Great Hall IS going to be demolished after all. It would have been expensive to remodel (with NO copper wiring, so NO electricity), and the current owner, TJ Calloway, has been unable to find an interested investor.

Here's a shortened link to the Flickr pix (many more pictures to be added) for sharing with friends and family who might be interested:

www.TinyUrl.com/Bellemont

I've been tinkering with the idea of putting up a memorial website to the old Belle -- doing some more research on its history, posting more old pictures, interviewing some of the people who worked or stayed there. There are some interesting stories related to that hotel from what I've heard, including some mob activity.