Fannie's Breakfast Menu
Fannie's Lunch Menu

Fannie's Cafe is named in honor of Fannie Read, a local legend, who's romance and death was reported throughout the U.S. in 1932.
    Fannie's Cafe is located on the East end of the Hancock House on the main floor. Fannie's serves breakfast and lunch 7 days a week and is open from 5:30 AM to 5 PM. You may also take your meals in your room. Please take a look at Fannie's menu by clicking the menu button in upper left column.
  
                     The History of Fannie Read
Her legend and story began on a warm summer night in 1862. It was at The American Hotel, where the outgoing, musically gifted, Fannie lived with her parents, who also owned the hotel.
   The 50 room hotel housed a great number of Union military officers during the Civil War. They were assigned to the staging area called Camp Hillhouse known today as Firemen's Park. Fannie would play her Rosewood piano & entertain the troops that had gathered.
   One of the officers, Lieutenant John Bellows, became the object of Fannie's affections. Fannie's father, Riley Read had bitter experiences with bill-jumping officers and took a violent dislike to Bellows. This situation was unacceptable to Riley and he took action to end the affair.  He sent Fannie to her room. The young officer was eventually stationed elsewhere. However, Fannie remained in her room, as her father had commanded, for the next 68 years. She never reconciled with her father. She would ultimately become the only resident in the American Hotel, until her death in 1932. The hotel was razed and the contents, including her Rosewood piano were auctioned off in 1938.
   Fannie made Howard Hughes look like an extravert. She ventured out only for family funerals and was heavily veiled when she did. Only a dim light in a second floor curtained window signified anyone living in the hotel at all after 1874.  Her meals were sent in from other hotels, one of which was the Hancock House.