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Transcribed
by
Ann Selvig, from:
Allerton, Iowa Centennial,
HOTELS
In 1871, George McLean built the first hotel
north of the tracks where the Ruark Garage is today,
named it “Allerton House.” He
operated this hotel until 1874. R. W.
Sherritt purchased the hotel from Mr. McLean that
year and re-named it “Sherman House.” It
remained under this name for several years. A barn was
in connection with the hotel for the travelers’
horses and buggies.
Behind Sherman House, a horse walked a
treadmill to pump the water. Another hotel during
this period was Meekin’s Hotel owned by Isaac H.
Meekin. One
of the hotels in the late 1800’s was located south
of the depot on the present Lora Dougherty property. The
location of the other hotels is not known but in the
1800’s, the names of the hotels were changed by the
owners. In
1884-85 the hotels were: Meekin’s
Hotel owned by Isaac Meekin, Sherman House, Wright
Hotel owned by W. A. Wright and the Pacific Hotel
once owned by A. Whitson. In 1883 W.
A. Wright bought out the Pacific Hotel. In 1886
there was Sherman House and another was again called
Allerton House.
Around 1910 the hotel on Central Avenue was
built by a company of businessmen at a cost of
$10,000 exclusive of plumbing and wiring costs. It was one
of the finest hotel structures in this part of the
state at that time.
Mr. E. E. Keller purchased it from the Hotel
Corporation and operated it as “Merchants Hotel”
until 1935. It
was then leased to Miss Jessie Holmes, who managed
it in connection with her beauty shop. There was
also a lobby-office, dining room and B. E. Bettis
ran the barber shop.
At one time Sears and Sprow Insurance and
later O. K. Engene Insurance occupied the space
where Miss Holmes’ Beauty Shop was. In the
1920’s or early 30’s there was a shoe shop and
barber shop in the front of the basement.
For many years the hotel rented rooms to the
Railroad Conductors s Allerton was the station where
the men changed passenger trains.
It was later changed to “Allerton Hotel” and
has been managed in the past by Vern Bettis, Mrs.
Killan, Phillip Burch, Vernon and Ethel Niday, Orion
Higley and in 1969 Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Miner took
over the Hotel.
There are 4 single rooms for rent. Most of
the rooms have been made into apartments. There are
now 6 apartments which are occupied by Coy Souvie,
Alta Merrick, George Shafer, Brown Donald and Ivan
Shecter “Red
or
White Tablecloth, You Pay the Bill” From
the
Allterton News – 1938
The visit here of Robert M. Sherritt Sunday,
brought to light more lore connected with the old
Sherman House.
Sherman House, known far and wide for its
meals and service, once existed where the Phillips
Gasoline Station (Ruark Garage) is now located.
“In those days,” said Mr. Sherritt, “there
were always at least two tables set. One was
covered with a red cloth and the other with a white
cloth. If
you wished ‘a white dinner’ you paid thirty five
cents, if you would be content with the red
covering, it cost but a quarter.”
The discrimination was necessary, it was
explained, because of the large number of stockmen
and traders who made Sherman House their
headquarters. They
always chose the red covering because it would not
show dirt as quickly.
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