“Nature Will be Your Neighbor”: Innkeepers of the West

This sequence of tales tells a larger story of the evolution of early tourism and accommodations in the West. Homesteader Abner Sprauge entered the lodging business accidentally when his Moraine Park ranch was in the path of visitors hoping to secure a place to stay, a meal, and a guided trip to the Continental Divide. The Earl of Dunraven, an Irish aristocrat, opened his English Hotel in 1874, so luxurious it even included indoor flush toilets. F.O. and Flora Stanley opened the famous hotel bearing their name in 1909, the first hotel in the world to have electricity as part of its original design plan. Journey back and imagine the thrill of being a guest in these early Western lodges.