early 20th century hotel sherman guest room key fob and numbered key. the sherman hotel dates back to 1837 (the same year the city was incorporated) where the first of five sherman hotels were built and rebuilt at clark and randolph in downtown chicago. the first incarnation was three stories high and constructed by francis cornwall sherman, who would go on to serve three terms as chicago's mayor. the last sherman hotel was a massive and distinctive 15-story, 757-bed structure designed by the architectural firm of holabird and roche in 1911. the very top of the non-extant hotel contained a mansard roof accentuated with exceptionally detailed female caryatids supporting arched windows. it was later demolished in 1973.