The first modern hotel in Macomb, The Lamoine Hotel opened in 1927, following a year-long construction of the five-story brick building just east of Chandler Park in downtown Macomb. Created by architects F.E. Berger and R.L. Kelley, the building was designed as classical revival, and was the tallest and most prominent building in town.
Over its lifetime, The Lamoine played host to community events, weddings, and proms. It was the original home of the Macomb Chamber of Commerce and served as the local meeting place for the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs. Fun fact: Amelia Earhart once stayed at The Lamoine. On April 8, 1936, the famed aviatrix visited Western Illinois University – then Western Illinois State Normal School – to speak at the weekly assembly.
In its later years, The Lamoine was home to apartments, The Tack Room, Macomb Travel and the McDonough County Voice. In 2014, the ceiling on the building’s north side gave way, and that’s when local contractor Chris Trotter took over ownership. After investing more than $6 million, the National Registry of Historic Places-designated building was christened The Lamoine senior living community in 2018.
