La Fonda Room 104 Key and Tag
Association
La Fonda
Dateca. 1930
Mediumfiber board, ink, metal
Dimensions6 × 1 1/2 × 1/4 in. (15.2 × 3.8 × 0.6 cm)
ClassificationsTools, Implements & Weights
Credit LineAlbuquerque Museum, gift of Hendra Marciani in memory of M. Eloise Arellañes
Object numberPC2010.9.2
DescriptionThis La Fonda Hotel key and tag accompanies a Sargent brass key chain connecting the key to the keychain. The key tag is rectangular with rounded edges and features orange letting, which reads: "LA FONDA / 104." The number indicates the room number associated with this key and above this there is a circular orange Indian Detours emblem on a black background with a Pueblo Thunderbird in the center. The reverse contains the text: "FRED HARVEY / SANTA FE NEW MEXICO / IF CARRIED AWAY / DROP IN ANY / MAILBOX / POSTAGE GUARANTEED." The design includes a hole at the top for attaching the keyring. The lettering is clean and evenly spaced, with a simple, utilitarian font characteristic of mid-20th century hotel key tags. The La Fonda Hotel, located at 100 East San Francisco Street in Santa Fe, New Mexico, was a major landmark of the Southwest and part of the Fred Harvey Company’s chain of hotels. The building opened in 1922 and became part of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway system, serving as a gateway for rail passengers traveling through the region. 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
ca. 1960