North Platte was most definitely a child of the Union Pacific Railroad, and with the arrival of the railroad came the immediate need for hotels, most of which initially vied with each other, each claiming to be the closest to the depot.
As passenger travel on railroads waned, cities on the Interstate highway system prospered, and motels on interstate interchanges displaced hotels.
In October of 1866, as the Union Pacific pushed westward, the railroad’s General G. M. Dodge arrived at what would develop as North Platte to set aside land for a “station, division station and sidings ... all that would ever be needed, while the land was vacant.†A month later William Peniston and A. J. Miller moved their store from Cold Water, Nebrask,a to what would later become Front and Jeffers (Yost) streets with the initial intent of selling to the “railroad builders.â€
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At about the same time John Burke moved his building from nearby Cottonwood Springs, where it had been located on the overland stage route as well as at a Pony Express station with the town’s being the county seat of Shorter County, later renamed Lincoln County.
This, the second building in North Platte, became the city’s first hotel. There, 291 miles west of Omaha, the Union Pacific platted the 192-block city of North Platte, which became the county seat of Lincoln County in November of 1867. Streets were laid out parallel and perpendicular to the railroad’s right-of-way rather than in a north/south configuration.
The Union Pacific crossed the river on a 2,300-foot bridge constructed of native red cedar trestles and arrived in North Platte Dec. 3, 1866. When General J. H. Simpson arrived on an examination survey of the railroad’s progress he noted that three weeks previous to his arrival there was virtually nothing but suddenly there were about 20 buildings, including “a frame depot and a frame hotel which cost $18,000.â€
The “only hotel in town†by 1868 was the Cedar Hotel on Front Street and was described as “a rough log structure†which later burned to the ground, was replaced by Keith’s Hotel on the same site and which also burned, to be replaced by the Nebraska House Hotel. The Union Pacific’s depot and hotel, at what became Front and Dewey streets, opened officially in December of 1869.
In 1873 North Platte was incorporated as a village and the Union Pacific Hotel was mentioned as being the site of the city’s first Episcopalian church services, officiated by Bishop Clarkson.
The city grew rapidly and two years later was reincorporated as a City of Second Class. The Union Pacific completed “extensive, well-built brick shops†by 1879 and mentioned their “fine hotel†adjacent to their tracks and railyard at Spruce Street.
By 1884, in addition to the railroad’s hotel, the Hinman House had been built and in 1886 they were joined by the Hawley House on East Fifth Street, an interesting two-story building with a small third story on the street side.
By 1913 North Platte advertised having six hotels including those at the Union Pacific and Burlington railroad depots with rooms available from 35 cents to $1 on the European Plan.
By being directly adjacent to the Union Pacific’s tracks, their frame depot with hotel and baggage rooms on its west end, was in constant danger from sparks coming from passing coal-fired steam engines, which indeed ignited the roof on Nov. 15, 1915.
J. McDonald, the hotel’s proprietor, called the fire department at 4:30 p.m. but the “ancient and very well seasoned building soon became a mass of flames†and though six streams of water attacked the fire, it continued to slowly burn.
The 40 guests and employees managed to save much of the furniture and all personal belongings. One guest, on the second floor, opined “what a horrible loss of life.†When it was pointed out that “all the people got out,†he said, “I wasn’t worried about the people, I was thinking of the bedbugs.â€
The new two-story, $55,000 McCabe Hotel on North Dewey opened in March of 1916 and the following year built a third story adding 100 more rooms. Other hotels followed including the more spectacular Yancey Hotel/Hotel Pawnee and in 1939 the tourist bureau advertised that North Platte had six hotels, six tourist camps and no traffic lights.
By 1987 no hotels were mentioned, but North Platte listed 27 motels which, in 2020, had become 26 motels.
Historian Jim McKee, who still writes with a fountain pen, invites comments or questions. Write to him in care of the Journal Star or at jim@leebooksellers.com.