Ft. Kearney
Hotel
Tales
of Buffalo County
Vol. III
p. 125 Kearney Womens Club first met in homes but as it
increased in membership they met at the Opera House top
floor large meeting room or the Midway or Ft. Kearney Hotels
One year Willa Cather was speaker at the June breakfast. At
the Nov. 1930 meeting here the president announced the
memorial gift of the Downing house for use as a club home.
Vol. IV
Hotels of Kearney, Part I & II pp 35-44
Fort Kearney Hotel
May 9, 1917 - Sketch of 7-story hotel in Hub and
story about plans to build by North American Hotel Corp.
July 11, 1917 Construction began. Building completed and
plumbing installed before WWI started and financial problems
arose.
1927 C of C decided this vacant building should be
completed, by Lenore Construction Co. of Cedar Rapids.
Opened for business Oct 11 with Dan Enos as manager.
Oct 1, 1928 bought by Arthur L Roberts company and Dec. 11
made John Henry manager.
1931 John Henry & associates bought Roberts co. stock
1936 John Henry bought the building
June 1, 1965 sold hotel to John Helleberg
1970 sold to Madge & Gordon Lane
1971 Hotel closed, bought by group of Kearney businessmen
who sold it to First National Bank.
1973 torn down
First floor - C of C office suite in northwest corner.
Italian Room for small meetings, newsstand, barber shop.
Elevator.
Second floor Crystal ballroom, named for 2 crystal
chandeliers. Green Room
Seventh floor John Henrys apartment. Bars on windows so
baby would not climb out.
Moved to a house in 1934.
Activities Junior and Senior proms, sorority and
fraternity parties, conventions. Coffee Dunkers Assoc.
complete with membership roster now at library
Eagles on corners of the structure
1) Claimed by the wrecker
2) Claimed by George Fairfield and incorporated into the
foundation of his new house beside the front door
3)
Sold to man from Kansas
4)
(the one that broke when being removed) Donated to the
Buffalo County Historical Society and now on display at
Trails & Rails Museum
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