Finding aid for the Wick-Pollock Inn Collection, 1988-1998

History of Historical Background

The Wick-Pollock Inn served both the university and the local community. It was a fashionable venue for business meetings and lunches, wedding receptions, and business conferences. It also provided on-campus accommodations for visitors to Youngstown State. Built in 1890 for his children by Paul Wick, the house was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Porter Pollock in 1900. It was acquired by Youngstown College in 1950 and named Pollock House. It would be home for a time to Army ROTC, the Youngstown Education Foundation, and the YSU Credit Union. The parlor and other rooms on the main floor were utilized for social events and meetings. YSU considered demolishing Pollock House in 1976. Instead, the university allocated $8,000 for renovations. In 1985, the Board of Trustees voted to permit an outside contractor to convert Pollock House into a university inn, stipulating that the original architectural integrity of the building was to be preserved. With great fanfare, ground was broken in 1986 for the $4.4 million Wick-Pollock Inn. The original house was reconfigured to contain 15 guest rooms, two dining rooms, and a bar/lounge. An additional wing included 16 suites, 49-rooms, a ballroom, five meeting rooms, a kitchen and administrative offices. Operated by a consortium of entrepreneurs under a 40-year lease, the Inn was staffed by about 100 persons. Opening in 1987, the Wick-Pollock proved popular. Its sudden closure in 1999 was unexpected, with employees given only minutes to clear out soon after reporting to work. The building would remain vacant for over a decade. In 2008, an Archives survey team visited the Inn and found evidence of the staff's hasty departure. The guest register remained on the registration desk. Office items were left undisturbed. Newspapers in the vending machines announced President Bill Clinton's alleged affair with Monica Lewinsky. In the guest rooms, sheets and blankets covered the beds. Even so, the Inn's files remained intact. While these contain many letters of praise, there were also complaints. Most involved faulty communications or problems with the staff. Labor issues were common, made worse when the original manager resigned for medical reasons. One serious incident involved an attempted knife attack upon a member of the kitchen staff by another. In 1992, a tainted Thanksgiving dinner led to several guests falling ill with Salmonella food poisoning. YSU's plans for the building ranged from contracting with a new hotel operator to using the Inn for hospitality management education. For a time, the Inn was even utilized by the YSU Police for domestic disturbance training. In 2012, after being remodeled through private funding (the additional wing being demolished in the process), Pollock House was restored. It is now the official home of the YSU President. *Brennan, Brian, "A University Inn," The Jambar, February 14, 2019, available online at https://www.thejambar.com/a-university-inn/.

Scope and Content

The collection consists chiefly of the administrative files of the Wick-Pollock Inn, created between 1988 and 1998. The greatest share of these cover the events held at the WPI during that timeframe. In addition, some artifacts relating to WPI are included. These include many photographs of events held at the Inn, such as bridal shows, food competitions, and other activities. Copies of restaurant and room service menus and other ephemera also are preserved. An ashtray with the "W-P" monogram and an empty matchbook have been added from another accession.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Persons:

Organizations/Corporations:

Preferred Citation

Wick-Pollock Inn Collection, RG 37/14, Archives & Special Collections, William F. Maag, Jr. Library, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio.

Colophon

As stated above, the collection was stored in the Wick-Pollock Inn while it stood vacant on the corner of Wick Avenue and Spring Street. What makes up this collection was gathered by the staff of Archives & Special Collections (Maag Library) and stored in the university archives (5th floor, Maag Library) until being processed in 2019.

Detailed Description of The Collection