Newspaper editor and publisher, Collector of the Victorian Era. Otto began his career as a typesetter at newspapers and soon discovered that he had a talent for rescuing newspapers that were in financial distress, turning them into profitable operations and in the process made himself wealthy as well. During the Great Depression he remained financially well off as the owner and publisher of "Hobbies," one of the first antiques and collectibles magazines. He is remembered for saying, "Even with no money, everyone could collect something" and is known for saying "Everyone should have a hobby. Everyone should collect something". He became fascinated with collecting and started collecting other peoples' collections. He started buying large homes and estates in the Chicago area to house the collections in. In the 1940s, he moved to Saint Augustine, Florida, to recover from an illness and stayed in the Ponce De Leon Hotel, across from the then defunct Alcazar Hotel, which had closed during the Great Depression. He purchased the Alcazar Hotel in 1947 and filled the hotel with his treasures, opening it as a museum to the public. It became known as the "Smithsonian of the South". Upon his death, he requested to be buried in the courtyard of his hotel. He is remembered as "America's King of Hobbies."
Newspaper editor and publisher, Collector of the Victorian Era. Otto began his career as a typesetter at newspapers and soon discovered that he had a talent for rescuing newspapers that were in financial distress, turning them into profitable operations and in the process made himself wealthy as well. During the Great Depression he remained financially well off as the owner and publisher of "Hobbies," one of the first antiques and collectibles magazines. He is remembered for saying, "Even with no money, everyone could collect something" and is known for saying "Everyone should have a hobby. Everyone should collect something". He became fascinated with collecting and started collecting other peoples' collections. He started buying large homes and estates in the Chicago area to house the collections in. In the 1940s, he moved to Saint Augustine, Florida, to recover from an illness and stayed in the Ponce De Leon Hotel, across from the then defunct Alcazar Hotel, which had closed during the Great Depression. He purchased the Alcazar Hotel in 1947 and filled the hotel with his treasures, opening it as a museum to the public. It became known as the "Smithsonian of the South". Upon his death, he requested to be buried in the courtyard of his hotel. He is remembered as "America's King of Hobbies."
Bio by: Sue Herbine
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