History | The Rosalia Hotel

What was once referred to as “A temple of business and commerce” has been transformed into a luxury hotel, preserving its history with a modern purpose.

What is now The Rosalia was once called The Miners National Bank, a historical landmark in Pottsville Pennsylvania that first opened its doors in 1828.

The Miners National Bank emerged during the booming coal industry, opening for business on Oct. 28, 1828. This was about eight months after the city of Pottsville officially became a borough, twelve years after John Pott founded Pottsville, and 40 years after Necho Allen discovered coal on Broad Mountain.

To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the current building that you see today was built in 1928. To complete this project, they hired a gentleman named Cass Gilbert, one of the nation’s most sought after architects. Some of Gilbert’s work includes the Woolworth Building, the U.S. Supreme Court building, and the Detroit Free Public Library.

Gilbert designed the exterior of the building to be constructed of Harvard brick with four Doric columns of white Georgia marble. His design incorporated both Colonial and Greek architecture. The keystones that can be seen above the three-story-tall windows are busts of Mercury, the god of trade and commerce, and Pluto, the god of mines, wells and quarries.

To enter the bank, 10-foot-tall brass doors which depict miners at work, were made by a New York sculptor named John Polachek. In 1927, these brass doors cost $10,000 to get made. Polachek is the founder of General Bronze Corporation in NYC, the most recognized company in the architectural bronze and aluminum industry during the first half of the 20th century.

The banking lobby had a grand 50 foot ceiling with a glass and bronze skylight, paired with twelve beautiful hanging chandeliers. The original ceiling and chandeliers were removed several decades ago when a drop ceiling was installed. The walls of the lobby are made from Jeanne d’Arc stone, a French limestone. The floors were made of Roman travertine, an Italian stone used in the construction of the Colosseum. The countertops are made of American black walnut topped with dark green marble. Over fourteen types of marble were used to bring this building to life. The lobby was completed with an impressive vault, with a door weighing 36 tons. 

What was once referred to as “a temple of business and commerce” has been transformed into a luxury hotel and venue space, preserving the history of one of the city’s oldest buildings. Book a stay today to experience this unique piece of history.