Historic Anderson House Hotel

The Historic Anderson House Hotel is a hotel and event venue in Wabasha, Minnesota, United States. The hotel opened in 1856 and was Minnesota's oldest continuously operating bed and breakfast inn west of the Mississippi River. Most of the furniture dates back to 1856 as well.[2] The building was expanded in 1887. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Hurd House–Anderson Hotel in 1978 for having local significance in the theme of commerce.[3] It was nominated for being a prominent and long-operating business originating in the years of Wabasha's rapid growth as a river and rail transportation hub.[4] In 1982 it was also listed as a contributing property to the Wabasha Commercial Historic District.[5]

Hurd House–Anderson Hotel
The Historic Anderson House Hotel from the northeast
Location333 West Main Street, Wabasha, Minnesota
Coordinates44°23′5.5″N 92°2′6″W
Area1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1856, expanded 1887
Built byB.S. Hurd, Ziba C. Goss
Part ofWabasha Commercial Historic District (ID82003063)
NRHP reference No.78001566[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPSeptember 18, 1978
Designated CPApril 15, 1982

History

The hotel was built by B.F. Hurd in 1856 and was known as the Hurd House until 1909. Hurd's son-in-law became owner of the hotel in 1885 and added a third story and a west wing. He also installed electricity and modern bathrooms. In 1909 the Anderson family purchased the business and renamed it the Anderson Hotel.[6]

The hotel was known for the Dutch cooking in the restaurant; a 1948 Anderson family cookbook had 500 recipes. It was also famous for the cats which hotel guests could stay with for overnight companionship.[7] A 1990 children's book, Blumpoe the Grumpoe Meets Arnold the Cat, told the story of a curmudgeon who traveled to Wabasha and was endeared to the black-and-white cat that slept in his room.[8]

The hotel closed for business on March 19, 2009, as a result of the economic downturn. Owners Teresa and Mike Smith had been trying to sell the inn for three years, but were unsuccessful. They had been subsidizing the inn with their retirement savings but eventually had to declare bankruptcy.[7]

In 2011 the hotel was purchased by the Yenters and was remodeled. The hotel reopened a few months later, replacing the restaurant with a museum and ending the tradition of cats in rooms.[9]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. "The Historic Anderson House Hotel". Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  3. "Hurd House/Anderson Hotel". Minnesota National Register Properties Database. Minnesota Historical Society. 2009. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
  4. Hall, John S.; C.W. Nelson (1978-03-17). National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Hurd House / Anderson Hotel / Anderson House (Report). National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  5. "Wabasha Commercial Historic District". Minnesota National Register Properties Database. Minnesota Historical Society. 2009. Retrieved 2014-01-19.
  6. Kass, Dustin (2009-02-16). "Haunted hotel still on the market". La Crosse Tribune. La Crosse, Wis. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  7. Weiss, John (2009-03-24). "Anderson House closing brings owners to tears". Rochester Post-Bulletin. Rochester, Minn.
  8. Westenberg, Kerri (2009-03-23). "Anderson House, Minnesota's oldest hotel, closes". StarTribune. Minneapolis. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  9. Voge, Adam (2011-11-26). "Wabasha couple buys Anderson House". La Crosse Tribune. La Crosse, Wis. Retrieved 2016-04-03.

Further reading
  • Hall, Jeanne; Ebner, Belle Anderson (1948). 500 Recipes by Request from Mother Anderson's Famous Dutch Kitchens. New York: M. Barrows. ISBN 0-517-02041-6.
  • Okimoto, Jean Davies; Schneider, Howie (1990). Blumpoe the Grumpoe meets Arnold the Cat. Boston: Joy Street Books. ISBN 0-316-63811-0.
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