A summer in the old New Atlantic hotel

During the summer and fall of 1975 when I worked at PPG Industries in the Industrial Park (the building is now owned by Schwan’s, I believe), a friend and I rented an apartment — the old cook’s quarters above the kitchen — for $140 per month, including utilities and a parking spot at the back (I think there’s outdoor seating there now). It was great fun, and spooky, too, as the kitchen or other non-retail space was not in use at the time and we’d panic when we heard noises coming from “downstairs.” I’d drive my 1956 Chevrolet to and from work and at age 18 thought I was so grown up and loved being a part of the Marshall community.

I’m 50 now, and as I think back I have lots of fun memories of those days in Marshall and our stint in the New Atlantic hotel.

— Robin M. Frette, currently a resident of Owatonna, Minnesota

Hotel worker helped save twins in 1940

In 1940, a man named Lloyd Burdick looked out the window of the New Atlantic Hotel and saw a set of 3.5-year-old twins hitching a ride underneath a semitrailer. The twins, Bernie and Jimmie Archbold, attached themselves to two pieces of iron underneath the trailer, while their father, the owner of a Marshall moving company, drove down the street unaware of the danger. One twin was said to be sitting safely within the confines of the iron bars, but the other clung for dear life with his two little fists and his feet dragging. When seeing this, Burdick immediately pointed the situation out to Lue Robinson, the chief clerk in the hotel. Robinson sprinted after the truck but feared that he would not catch it. He then yelled at a man just passing the Marshall Grocery Company. In turn, the man signaled to Mr. Archbold, who stopped to find his two sons frightened, but unharmed. The story somehow received national coverage as newspapers throughout the country recognized the name Lloyd Burdick as a well-known pro-football player. Some stories credited Burdick with dashing after the twins and rescuing them from the truck as it drove down the pavement at 40 mph.

— information provided by Bernie Archbold, now a Marshall insurance agent

Hotel was an all-purpose building

I think the hotel was built in 1926. I was born in Marshall in 1925, so I remember the New Atlantic Hotel well. There was a lot of activity. It used to have a barbershop right on the front corner. I got my haircut there a few times. A classmate of mine, Jack, he would shine shoes at the building. Businessmen would just leave their shoes so he could shine them. We would go in the hotel from time to time. It had a restaurant and a lot of guys in high school would go there with their girl after a movie.

There was a lot of activity in that hotel. I remember when I came back to Marshall to work for The Schwan Food Company in 1964, there was still a restaurant there and my dad, Paul, he wanted to show appreciation to milk producers, and that’s where we would have it. We’d have a big dinner and have a good time.

— Alfred Schwan, chairman of The Schwan Food Company