Washington House/Central Hotel/Commercial Hotel
Hotels
At one time, Center Point had three hotels. This was during the period of 1870 - 1900. This shows the importance of a hotel in those days. When travel was by horse and buggy, you couldn’t get very far before you needed accommodations. After a good night’s stay and a good meal, then you were on your way.
Washington House/Central Hotel/Commercial Hotel
In 1854, Jesse Grubbs built a hotel on the northwest corner of Washington and Main streets. The hotel, then known as the Washington Hotel, had four rooms, two upstairs and two downstairs. In its early days, it was a stagecoach stop for drivers from Cedar Rapids to Independence.
Ownership changed hands when Stewart Smiley bought the hotel in 1866. In the early days of the hotel, the owner would go to the railroad station to pick up the passengers that planned to stay at the hotel. Since the town had no noon whistle, the owner of the hotel would stand on the corner every noon and ring a hand held school bell.
The hotel was renamed the Central Hotel sometime before 1875. By 1900, the hotel’s named changed a second time to Commercial Hotel. Other early owners were Menear, Stickle and Shaffer.
Mrs. Hattie Rogers remodeled the hotel when she bought it in 1919. The two north rooms were sometimes rented to business people; Ory and Clair Glass operated a barbershop, Dr. Doty had an office, and Martha Osborne operated a beauty shop. Hattie also served food to customers in the dining room. She would purchase about one dollar of meat each day to feed about twenty people. She operated the hotel until sometime in the 1940s.
Nora Barron bought and remodeled the hotel around 1950. She began operating a tavern in the front part of the building and sold to Martin & Bernice Stade around 1958, who then sold to Austin Nolte. Louis and Brodina Haddy purchased the hotel in 1962. Tragically, this historical building was destroyed by fire on July 15, 1968. The building housed Haddy’s Haven, a tavern. Today, Louis and Brodina’s son, Tom Haddy, operates the tavern. He bought it from them in 1978.
Montour Hotel.
This hotel was located on Main Street south of the post office. It was built approximately 1855. Geo. Mitchell was a proprietor.
This hotel built in 1854, was known as Central House at this time in 1880. It was the ‘central place’ of the town, serving as a stagecoach stop, voting place for town elections, and a good place to meet your neighbors.
Same hotel, known as Commercial Hotel in 1908.
Commercial Hotel in 1954.
Commercial Hotel became Haddy’s Haven in 1962. On July 15, 1968, it caught fire and burned to the ground destroying the 115 year old building. From right of photo: Steve Scherer, Philip Andersen, David Hynson, Kenneth M. Andersen, rest are unidentified.
Revere Hotel
picture of Revere Hotel around 1911. Til and Helen Hoglan owners. Til is standing behind desk in center.
This was located on the west side of Main Street where the Meat Locker was later located at 809 Main Street.