Kansas is home to more than a dozen historic hotels, many of which were built in the early 20th century at the height of the railroad rush.
Over the past century, many of the state’s historic hotels have changed hands and some have been temporarily closed. For some, the parishioners stepped up and realized the importance of the history of this hotel not only for their city but also for the state.
Historic preservation is a common issue among hotel owners, and many have earned a place on the National Register for Historic Places.
Sara Fox, owner of Holton’s Hotel Josephine, has made heritage preservation a priority since the family bought the building in 2020.
That was one of the reasons Fox said she had decided to reach out to the owners of historic Kansas hotels and start a road trip through the Kansas Historic Hotel.
The road trip includes eight hotels across the state. Everyone has their own unique story.
“We’re really trying to bring tourism back to our small communities as they open the door after COVID,” Fox said. “We really want to open the door and encourage people to come in and see the conservation efforts and see what is in rural America.”
Fox said that some of the historic hotels have restaurants, spas, and boutiques. All are at different stages of preserving the building’s history.
“It’s an important part of our local economy because if they stay in our community, they’ll shop in our community and our boutiques,” said Fox. They go to the cafes and the casinos and look at our parks. “
Supporting historic hotels is also beneficial to the Kansas economy.
“We’ve always known this, but I think the pandemic made it worse that our economy depends on people traveling,” said Bridgette Jobe, director of Kansas Tourism. “We need people who move from one place to another, stay in hotels, eat in restaurants.”
These hotels can help increase the number of visitors and the positive experiences guests can have in not just small towns but big cities as well, Jobe said.
“What I’ve seen is these hotels help tell the story of a community and preserve its character and personality,” said Jobe. “When you stay in one of these historic hotels, you often tell the story of this community, whether it’s through the stories they tell when they check in or the photos they put up.”
The following is a list of historic Kansas hotels that are partners on this road trip initiative.
Hotel Josephine
The Josephine Hotel, 501 Ohio Ave. in Holton, was built by AD Walker in 1890. The businessman named the hotel after his daughter.
The hotel has changed hands several times over the years. It was recently bought by the Fox family who are working to restore the hotel.
Oak Roots Restaurant offers guests and community members a gourmet steakhouse experience.
The Courtland Hotel, 121 E. 1st St. in Fort Scott, opened in the early 1900s to cope with the increased traffic from the railroads that ran through town.
The hotel was originally built to accommodate a wide variety of businesses. The first floor had six storefronts and the upper floors housed living quarters and a tailor’s shop.
Over the years the hotel has changed hands several times and has been restored and modernized in recent years.
There are several local restaurants in Fort Scott, but you can enjoy breakfast at The Courtland.
A full-service spa is also located in the hotel.
The hotel in Old Town, 830 E. 1st, in Wichita first opened in 1906 in a warehouse for Keen Kutter.
The former warehouse was converted into a hotel in the late 1990s and items Keen Kutter collected over the years are still on display at the hotel.
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The Grand Central Hotel on Broadway 215 in Cottonwood Falls opened as the Central House in 1884.
It was not until 1995 that the American and Cottonwood Falls Hotels merged to form the Grand Central Hotel.
The hotel is quaint with only ten rooms that offer western flair.
The Grand Grill Restaurant in the hotel offers its guests a fine dining experience.
The Weaver Hotel, 126 S. Kansas St., in Waterville has long been a small-town landmark.
The hotel was built in 1905 and served as a hub for passengers waiting for their train. It was also a convenient location for those attending shows at the Opera House across the street.
The hotel was closed for several years until the Waterville Preservation Society bought the building to restore and preserve the history of the city.
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The Midland Railroad Hotel, 414 26th St. in Wilson, was built in 1899 and is considered one of the finest hotels in the Midwest.
In 1902 the elegant hotel burned down and was later restored and reopened. The hotel remained a fine and modern facility.
The hotel can be seen in the 1973 film “Paper Moon”.
The Midland Railroad Hotel closed in 1978 for 18 years until the Wilson Foundation bought the building.
A $ 3.2 million renovation began and the hotel reopened in 2003.
The hotel now has the Sample Room Tavern restaurant and spa.
The Elgin Hotel, 115 N. 3rd, in Marion was built by WW Case and LL Case in 1886.
The brothers built the hotel to help the city flourish and attract more visitors.
The hotel stayed in operation until 1967 when the owner left. The building fell into disrepair and discussions about demolishing the hotel began.
The building was purchased for $ 3,000 in 1974 by Alfred Murnahan, Reg Larson, and Tommy Wolfe who planned to demolish the building and use the stone for a church. Your funds fell through.
Van Anderson bought the building in 1976 and spent $ 400,000 renovating the hotel into an apartment building.
The hotel changed hands a few more times and was converted back into a hotel in 2006.
The Parlor 1886 restaurant is located in the hotel.
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The Wolf Hotel, 1 N. Main St. in Ellinwood, was built in 1894 to complement the Delmonico Hotel.
The hotel served as an antique shop in the early 1980s until it was purchased and returned to its original state in 2013.
There are underground tunnels under the building, and guests can take guided tours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Historical-style lunch is offered on Sundays.
