Civil War Hotel Key Fob Found in Jackson, MS

Tom Hughes

Sergeant Major
Joined
May 27, 2019
Location
Mississippi
I found this relic years ago, but I was going through some relics in my collection today and wanted to share it with this forum.

RS Hotel.jpg

Back in 2003, when the city of Jackson was building a parkway near downtown and bulldozed a section of the old Confederate works near Pointdexter Park, I dug this brass hotel key fob. After years buried in the soil, it's difficult to make out. But it reads:
R S
HOTEL
31
I've never been able to determine what the "R S" stood for. There was no hotel by that name in Jackson before, during or after the war.
However, the old Confederate Hotel had been located about 100 yards away from the site, run by a Mr. Shackleford.
Just another interesting relic found among the relics of the civil war years.
Thanks for looking!
 
Interesting fob. Could be from anywhere as hotel keys had a way of getting away. Remember the old days? Drop In Any Mail Box
1610407914275.png
 

I found this relic years ago, but I was going through some relics in my collection today and wanted to share it with this forum.

View attachment 387448
Back in 2003, when the city of Jackson was building a parkway near downtown and bulldozed a section of the old Confederate works near Pointdexter Park, I dug this brass hotel key fob. After years buried in the soil, it's difficult to make out. But it reads:
R S
HOTEL
31
I've never been able to determine what the "R S" stood for. There was no hotel by that name in Jackson before, during or after the war.
However, the old Confederate Hotel had been located about 100 yards away from the site, run by a Mr. Shackleford.
Just another interesting relic found among the relics of the civil war years.
Thanks for looking!
Great find @Tom Hughes !

However, just something to consider . . . although found in Jackson doesn't mean it's originally from Jackson.

Kind of like forgetting to turn in a New Orleans hotel key from the 80's and then finding it during the 1990's. . . (under the backseat )
 
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I've never been able to determine what the "R S" stood for. There was no hotel by that name in Jackson before, during or after the war.
However, the old Confederate Hotel had been located about 100 yards away from the site, run by a Mr. Shackleford.
Well, it had to be a key for a pretty large hotel if it had 31 rooms.
 
Although a small town, Jackson did have a couple of substantial hotels during the War.
These two come to mind: " The Confederate House" predecessor to the King Edward, along with the more famous "Bowman House"
up the street.

The Bowman House was a five or six level hotel that served as Johnston's & Grant's, Headquarters while they were in Jackson.
From @Championhilz 's blog:


Both were burned by the Union during 1863.

So . . . I guess that relic could be from a Jackson hotel.
 
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Although a small town, Jackson did have a couple of substantial hotels during the War.
These two come to mind: " The Confederate House" predecessor to the King Edward, along with the more famous "Bowman House"
up the street.

The Bowman House was a five or six level hotel that served as Johnston's & Grant's, Headquarters while they were in Jackson.
From @Championhilz 's blog:


Both were burned by the Union during 1863.

So . . . I guess that relic could be from a Jackson hotel.
It's certainly possible....But what does the R C stand for?
 
It's certainly possible....But what does the R C stand for?
Sorry, I meant to type R S

I couldn't even begin to guess.

But don't give up.
There are a lot of experts on this site that rarely comment.

When I first joined CWT, there was another mystery about a strange Confederate Officer's kepi.
Very cool cap (with all kinds of gold lace embroidery and an unfamiliar badge).

Most of us thought it was a fancy pre war militia cap.

WRONG !

Long story short, three members immediately identified the cap as belonging to a mid level officer in the 1860's Navy of Venezuela.
They even provided links to all kind of documentation.

So . . . someone may be able to tell you all about the key fob.



 
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