Franciscan Hotel Key and Tag
AssociationAssociated with
Franciscan Hotel
(1923 - 1970)
Dateca. 1950
Mediumplastic composite, metal
Dimensions4 3/4 × 1 5/8 × 1/2 in. (12.1 × 4.1 × 1.3 cm)
ClassificationsTools, Implements & Weights
Credit LineAlbuquerque Museum, gift of Nancy Tucker
Object numberPC2015.60.7
DescriptionThis room key for the Franciscan Hotel is attached to an orange plastic key tag labeled "437." This Independent Lock Company-branded brass key is paired with an orange, oval-shaped leather key tag. The key tag features embossed black lettering, which reads: "FRANCISCAN / ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO / DROP IN ANY MAILBOX / WE GUARANTEE / POSTAGE." The numbers 437 are embossed without ink coloring in the center of the tag. The design includes a hole at the top for attaching the keyring to the key. The reverse is blank. The Franciscan Hotel, located at the northwest corner of Central Avenue and Sixth Street, Albuquerque, New Mexico, was a major landmark for Albuquerque. It opened on December 15, 1923, and closed in October 1970, with the building finally demolished in 1972. Renowned for its Pueblo Revival architecture and cultural significance, it was a hub for tourists and locals alike. The inclusion of guaranteed postage on the key tag emphasizes the importance of guests returning misplaced keys, which would have been mailed back to the hotel using a prepaid service. This practice was common in the mid-20th century to ensure that hotels could maintain their supply of reusable metal keys.On View
Not on view
