The Tipton Conservative December 16, 1976
Transcribed by Sharon Elijah, May 1, 2023

Opening of Tipton Hotel in 1895
May Have Been Tipton’s Biggest Social Event

     When the Hotel Tipton closed Oct. 1, a bit of Tipton social history was recalled, along with many other memories for Tipton area residents of parties, dances and gala affairs that were held there.

     The hotel was closed because it was no longer profitable to operate and the cost of an extensive renovation of the building does not fit into the plans of its owners, Bob Walters and his cousin, Jane Norton, Lubbock, Texas.

     The hotel, along with its restaurant and ballroom, served the Tipton area for more than 80 years and the hotel itself continued until this fall.

     There has seldom been a social event in Tipton that was the equal of the one held when the hotel opened.

     This is the article from the March 21, 1895 Tipton Advertiser concerning the formal opening of Hotel Tipton:

Hotel Tipton—Grand Opening—Opera—Banquet and Ball

     The formal opening of the Hotel Tipton will occur Wednesday evening, March 27. The exercises will consist of a grand opera, elegant banquet and delightful ball. Mr. Kenehan went to Chicago last week and there engaged a first class specialty company composed of eighteen people everyone an artist of note. They will give as fine an entertainment as the town has ever seen, in the City Hall, commencing at 7:30 pm. and closing at 10. Next in order will be the banquet, after which the ball will open and all those so inclined can enjoy the dance to their heart’s content.

     Prof. Busse’s Chicago Orchestra of ten pieces (both brass and string instruments) will be in attendance. This orchestra played during the World’s fair at the Ocean Beach Hotel, and is as fine as the country affords. It is safe to say that no one west of Chicago has ever danced to such elegant music as they will furnish. They arrive here Wednesday morning, and during the day will give our people some idea of what they can do on brass instruments.

     Mr. Kenehan has gone to great trouble and expense in planning and preparing for this event. His orchestra and specialty company alone cost him $500, and everything from beginning to end will be elaborate and complete. The landlord is a liberal, broad gauged man as his opening will amply prove. He offers a program of pleasure and attractions which easily surpasses anything ever before attempted in this part of the state. The affair will undoubtedly be a grand success as it deserves to be. The indications now are that the attendance will be enormous as almost every one expresses an intention to be there. Those who fail to go will miss a great treat. In order that the whole expense may not fall on Mr. Kenehan tickets will be sold at the following low rates:

Opera, banquet and ball per couple $4.00
Each extra lady with gentleman $1.00
Opera and banquet only, per couple $3.50
Single ticket $3.00
Tickets will be on sale at H. L. Brotherlin’s drug store Monday, March 25th.

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     In the April 4 issue of the Advertiser the following story was told of the opening of the hotel:

HOTEL TIPTON
Formal Opening Made Last Night

     Amid strains of beautiful music, with a banquet which would gratify the epicureans, and with the mazy whirl of the dance following the faultless music of a fine orchestra, amid these scenes witnessed by and engaged in by the gayly dressed and happy people of our place, was the formal opening last night of the new twenty-five thousand dollar hotel of our town.

     The Tipton people turned out quite well but the attendance from a distance was not as large as was expected. Perhaps three hundred people were at the Opera House. That part of the night’s entertainment was a disappointment to those who attended as well as to Mr. Kenehan, to whom no blame can be attached. The company was below what was expected, then to make matters worse their baggage containing their costumes failed to arrive. The show was apparently of the cheap variety order. But the music of the orchestra was elegant and greatly pleased our people.

     The banquet was well attended and was excellent in every way. The service, the viands and all the arrangements were in excellent taste and order. The genial landlord may congratulate himself on this feature of the evening. The ball followed and was an elegant affair. It was participated in by a large number. The music is said to have been as good, and perhaps the best ever had at Tipton on a similar occasion.

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     The present location of the Tipton Hotel is, according to the latest research done on early Tipton homes, the site of the “Friend” house which was moved to its present location, 205 Lynn street, just before the hotel was built. It is now occupied by Charles Innes, a grandson of Mrs. Joseph K. (Amelia) Snyder, who purchased the home and had it moved.

     Preston J. Friend was one of the early settlers in Tipton, and is listed in the first census taken of Tipton in March, 1842, along with his wife and children.

     He and John Culbertson, operated one of the early general stores in Tipton—most likely the second one—under the name of Friend and Culbertson. John Culbertson, wife, child and 2 hired girls, was also listed in the first Tipton census.

     Friend purchased the location of the hotel—lot 5, block 10- in 1846 from the Cedar county commissioners for $75.

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     Preston J. Friend purchased Lot 4 in 1846 at a Sheriff’s sale, the original owner being Tipton’s first lawyer, Wm. R. Rankin, who “built a house just north of the Palmer House.” The Palmer House stood on Lot 4 and part of Lot 3 the present site of the Cobb Building (Schultz Bros. Store).

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     Friend, who was a member of the Protestant Methodist church, prospered as a merchant and died in 1867, leaving quite a large estate. At least it was large enough to have 2 men, J. W. Reeder and A. C. Reeder, appointed as trustees.

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     There is no recorded proof that Friend built the house, since the property did not change hands until 1894, 17 years after his death, when J. W. Reeder sold the lot to the Tipton Hotel association. Following this, Mrs. Snyder bought the old house.

     One of the best sources of information about the house is from Mrs. Grace Kenney, 91, former Tipton resident, who lived in what was known as the “Friend” house on the corner of Cedar and 6th street when she was a small girl.

     In 1914 the Tipton Hotel association sold the Tipton Hotel to W.G.W. Geiger. It has remained in the Geiger-Walters family since that time.

     At a meeting June 30, 1894, the following board of directors was elected: M. R. Jackson, John H. Reichert, R. R. Leach, J. H. Coutts, C. W. Carl, George Beatty, F. H. Milligan. Jackson was president, Coutts, vice-president and treasurer and Leech, secretary.

     The stockholders of the hotel corporation in 1894 were M. R. Jackson, D. J. Hedges, John H. Reichert, R. R. Leech, B. F. Perkins, H. L. Dean, F. H. Milligan, George Fraseur, B. J. Rodgers, R. Owen, C. W. Carl, J. C. France, M. Block, Mrs. D. P. Tuthill, W.G.W. Geiger, M. E. Piatt, M. I. Shipley, A. W. Evans, J. H. Coutts and G. E. Beatty.

     When lot 6 of block 10, the lot to the south of the original “Friend” lot was purchased, it was from Mrs. H. C. Piatt, one of the pioneer attorneys of Tipton.

     There were several managers of the Tipton Hotel who should be mentioned.

     Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Bleasdale took over the management around the turn of the century and their younger daughter, Velma, (Mrs. Elwood Rhoads of Mechanicsville) was born in 1900 in the big front bedroom on the second floor. Their elder daughter, Vera, and Alex Buchanan were married in the hotel in 1908.

     Other managers that followed were Mr. and Mrs. Gere Gehr, Mr. and Mrs. Carleton in the 1920’s and Mr. and Mrs. Alex Buchanan in 1930’s. In 1941 Henry Walters took over the management and continued in that capacity until his ill health caused the doors to this once popular hotel to close.

     In its heyday traveling salesmen (or drummers) coming to Tipton made the hotel their headquarters. The hotel operated a hack service between the hotel and the 2 depots.

     In the early days the hotel also accommodated as many as 40 residents-roomers or boarders. The dining room to the rear was a popular eating place for these residents as well as Tipton residents and the travelling salesmen coming to town.

     During the management of Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan in the 30’s the dining room was redecorated and called “The Lantern Room”. It was the scene of many 15 and 16 table bridge parties, club luncheons and dinners.