Historic Anderson House Hotel facts for kids
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Hurd House–Anderson Hotel
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The Historic Anderson House Hotel from the northeast
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 333 West Main Street, Wabasha, Minnesota |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1856, expanded 1887 |
| Built by | B.S. Hurd, Ziba C. Goss |
| Part of | Wabasha Commercial Historic District (ID82003063) |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001566 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 18, 1978 |
| Designated CP | April 15, 1982 |
The Historic Anderson House Hotel is a very old hotel and event place in Wabasha, Minnesota, United States. It first opened its doors in 1856. This makes it Minnesota's oldest continuously running bed and breakfast inn west of the Mississippi River.
Many of the furniture pieces inside the hotel are from 1856, too. The building was made bigger in 1887. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It was listed as the Hurd House–Anderson Hotel because it was very important for business in the area. The hotel was a key business during a time when Wabasha grew fast as a river and train transport center. In 1982, it was also recognized as an important part of the Wabasha Commercial Historic District.
Contents
The Story of the Anderson House Hotel
The Anderson House Hotel has a long and interesting past. It has seen many changes over the years.
From Hurd House to Anderson Hotel
The hotel started with a different name and different owners.
Early Days and First Owners
The hotel was built by B.F. Hurd in 1856. Back then, it was known as the Hurd House. This name stayed until 1909. In 1885, Hurd's son-in-law took over the hotel. He added a third floor and a new section on the west side. He also made the hotel more modern by adding electricity and new bathrooms.
The Anderson Family's Legacy
In 1909, the Anderson family bought the business. They decided to rename it the Anderson Hotel. This is the name it is still known by today.
Famous Features and Fun Facts
The Anderson Hotel became well-known for a few special things that made it unique.
Delicious Dutch Cooking
The hotel's restaurant was famous for its tasty Dutch cooking. The Anderson family even had a cookbook in 1948 with 500 recipes! People would come from all over to try their delicious meals.
The Hotel's Friendly Felines
One of the most famous things about the hotel was its cats! Guests could actually have a cat stay with them overnight in their room for companionship. In 1990, a children's book called Blumpoe the Grumpoe Meets Arnold the Cat was written about this. It told the story of a grumpy person who visited Wabasha and became friends with a black-and-white cat that slept in his room.
A New Chapter for the Hotel
Like many old buildings, the hotel faced some challenges and changes over time.
Facing Challenges and Closing
On March 19, 2009, the hotel had to close its doors. This happened because of tough economic times. The owners, Teresa and Mike Smith, had tried to sell the inn for three years but could not find a buyer. They had used their own retirement money to keep the hotel going. But eventually, they could no longer afford it.
A Fresh Start and New Look
In 2011, the Yenter family bought the hotel. They worked hard to remodel and update the building. The hotel reopened a few months later. However, some things were different. The restaurant was replaced with a museum. Also, the tradition of having cats in the rooms came to an end.
