Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Bowl, Finger |
Catalog Number |
2018.55.152 |
Maker |
Shenango China |
Date |
1950-1977 |
Material(s) |
Ceramic |
Dimensions |
H-1.25 Dia-5 inches |
Description |
This is a cream or off-white ceramic finger bowl. It is decorated with five evenly spaced red lines that run around the circumference of the outside edge. The lines are interrupted by a stylized "BH" monogram in blue. There is a maker's mark in green on the bottom. The mark has the maker's logo over "Shenango China New Castle, PA." |
Notes |
This item is from Beverly Hills Supper Club. The Beverly Hills Supper Club fire occurred on the night of May 28, 1977, during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. In the 1930s, Northern Kentucky was, as local historian Robert Webster put it, a "magnet for crime and corruption." Home to some thirty-five illegal gambling casinos, Northern Kentucky and its City of Newport, nicknamed "Sin City" and "Little Mexico," were long under the influence of a local mob syndicate. In this context, a classy restaurant and casino called the Beverly Hills Supper Club was founded in the nearby town of Southgate and soon became one of the region's most popular nightclubs. With hundreds of thousands of dollars being gambled nightly, by the 1940s "the Beverly" as locals called it regularly welcomed national celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Liberace, and Dean Martin. The late 1950s and early 1960s brought hardship though with the election of Sheriff George W. Ratterman and the formation of a local reform group called the Committee of 500. As Ratterman and likeminded citizens set out to clean up Campbell County, the Beverly and other Northern Kentucky nightclubs and casinos suddenly lost the mob protection that their gambling operations had enjoyed. Without the added casino revenue, the Beverly Hills Supper Club could not sustain itself. The original club closed its doors in 1961 as a result. Nearly a decade later, things were looking up for the property. The club was purchased and reopened in 1969 by a new owner. This venture lasted a mere two months, but soon after the Beverly Hills Supper Club was sold to another entrepreneur: Richard Shilling. Recognizing the property's potential, Shilling devoted more than three million dollars to building renovations. The new club featured multiple banquet, dining, and show rooms such as the Viennese and Empire Rooms, in addition to a hall of mirrors, walls lined with oil paintings, ceilings with crystal European chandeliers, floors of red carpet, and a grand spiral staircase. Many of these initial renovations were ruined when a destructive fire broke out in June 1970. Shilling managed to rebuild and lavishly refurbish the Beverly. An instant success, the Beverly Hills Supper Club again became the most popular club in town, hosting everything from banquets and receptions to proms and anniversaries. On Saturday, May 28, 1977, the Beverly's design and its extreme popularity proved fatal. That night, between 2,000 and 2,800 people crammed into the building for a variety of events. Around 9pm, a waitress informed an 18-year-old busboy named Walter Bailey that there was a fire in the Zebra Room. Bailey, who was working in the Cabaret Room that evening, got on the stage and told the audience that there was a fire and everyone needed to exit the building. Shortly after Walter Bailey's announcement, the room began to fill with smoke and the electricity went out. The doorways quickly became congested and eventually impassable. Some five hundred emergency response personnel from across the Greater Cincinnati region, club staff, and volunteers responded to the fire. The fire and fumes ultimately claimed the lives of at least 165 patrons, making it the third worst nightclub fire in US history to date. After the fire, several investigations were conducted into the cause of the fire and the large loss of life. An investigation by the Cincinnati Enquirer cited a number of issues that contributed to the tragedy. Some of the issues were a lack of firewalls, overcrowding, inadequate emergency exits, and extreme safety code violations. As of 2018, the site of the Beverly Hills Supper Club remains vacant. |
Collection |
Beverly Hills Supper Club Collection |
Subjects |
Country clubs Eating & drinking Eating & drinking facilities Entertainment Night clubs |
Search Terms |
Beverly Hills Supper Club South Gate (Ky.) Campbell County (Ky.) |
Physical Holder |
Kentucky Historical Society - KHS |