Commercial Hotel (Wadena, Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Commercial Hotel
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The Commercial Hotel from the northwest
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 218 Jefferson Street South, Wadena, Minnesota |
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| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | c. 1885, c. 1925 |
| Built by | William King |
| Architectural style | Commercial Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 88003010 |
| Designated | December 22, 1988 |
The Commercial Hotel is a historic building located in Wadena, Minnesota. It was first built around 1885 and served as an important hotel for many years. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. It was recognized for its importance to the local business history of Wadena. The hotel was a great example of the places built to welcome visitors as Wadena grew in the late 1800s.
What Does the Commercial Hotel Look Like?
The Commercial Hotel is a three-story building made of brick. It stands on Wadena's main street where many businesses are located. You can see part of its strong stone base, which has two small basement windows.
Right in the middle of the building is the main entrance. Tall, flat columns called pilasters stand on each side of the door and go all the way up the front of the building. The entrance is set back a little. It has narrow windows on the sides and a fan-shaped window above the door. On either side of the door, there are large windows with decorated panels below them. Above these windows are smaller windows called transoms, topped with stone pieces called lintels.
The second floor has four windows that can be slid up or down. These windows have stone sills and decorative brick arches above them. A decorative brick line, called a string course, highlights these arches. The third-floor windows also have stone sills, but their brick tops are flat. Above these, you can see panels and pilasters made of bricks that stick out, called corbeled brick. In the very center of the roof's edge, there's a triangular part called a gable. On this gable, a stone is carved with the word "HOTEL."
Originally, the building only took up half of its long, narrow plot of land. But around 1925, a three-story addition was built at the back. This new part looks very similar to the original building in size and window style.
When it first opened, the ground floor had a cozy parlor and an office facing the street. Behind these, there was a large dining room and a kitchen at the very back.
A Look Back: The Hotel's History
By 1881, Wadena had grown into a town with about a thousand people. But it only had one hotel! So, around 1885, the Commercial Hotel opened its doors. Even though it was a few blocks away from the train station, it quickly became popular. Its main competitor was right across from the train tracks.
What made the Commercial Hotel special? It was built with strong brick, unlike most other buildings that were made of wood. Wood buildings could catch fire easily. Because it was made of brick, the Commercial Hotel was seen as more modern and safer. This was proven in 1888 when Wadena had its worst fire ever. Eighteen buildings were destroyed, but the Commercial Hotel survived!
In 1901, a man named Joseph Askew, who had moved from England, bought the hotel. He was also involved in local government. Sadly, he died in an accident ten years later. But his wife and two daughters kept the hotel running. Around 1925, they made the hotel twice as big by adding the new section at the back.
This expansion made the Commercial Hotel even more popular. Its location in the center of Wadena's business area, close to other roads, made up for its distance from the train station. Many of the guests who stayed at the hotel were traveling salespeople.
When the building was nominated to the National Register in 1987, it had been empty for many years. However, the city of Wadena was planning to buy it. They wanted to change it into housing for older adults. Because the hotel had been empty for so long, it remained one of the most original buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s in downtown Wadena.
