could be Buffalo's crossing the platte

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Ft. Kearney Hotel

Tales of Buffalo County

Vol. III

p. 125 – Kearney Women’s 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 Henry’s 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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