Formerly located at the corner of Willow Court (Plummer Street) and Morton Court in Downtown Hammond. The old historic Hotel Carleton was first founded as the "Morton House" in 1882 by Marcus M. Towle, who was one of the founders of the George H. Hammond Meat Packing Plant. Towle decided to build the hotel to provide living quarters for officials of the new Hammond Packing Plant. Morton House gained popularity as a show place of Northwest Indiana, soon the hotel became too small and inadequate, so Towle enlarged the building with an addition built in 1886. |
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Hammond then began to develop around the bustling inn. This was the place where most of the town of Hammond's early political history was made. This was also the spot where most of the young town enjoyed there first social activities. After the Hammond Packing Plant was destroyed by fire during the turn of the century, Towle sold the hotel to Mrs. Ed Mee in 1906. This was when the hotel name was changed to the Hotel Carleton. Once again the hotel began to flourish as new life was pumped into it after many new industries began to move into Hammond to replace the packing plant. Rated as the city's best hotel for many years, but age and the building of a new commercial development to the south took its toll on the hotel. The building was eventually closed. During the Great Depression the structure served as a home for single homeless men run by the Salvation Army. But after several years, the lack of modern plumbing facilities and the fear of crumbling woodwork the building was boarded up and closed for good. Later it was decided by several bondholders who held a mortgage on the property, since the building was no longer in use, it would reduce the amount of taxes on the structure if it were razed. In the second half of 1936 demolition began, destroying a part of Hammond's early history.
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