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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTHRailroadHotels_LizCarmack 50 Texas Highways August 2007 Historic Railroad HotelsA Trio August 2007 Texas Highways 51By the TracksDozens of hotels in Texas once catered to railway passengers traversing the state on such lines as the International-Great Northern, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass, and the Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio.Although many historic inns disappeared as highways replaced rails and ubiquitous chain motels offered modern roadside lodging, today’s travelers can still find one-of-a-kind accommodations at storied properties built near the tracks.By Liz CarmackPhotographs by J. Griffis SmithFlatonia Rail Park (facing page) showcases a switching tower and caboose, and a pavilion from which you can photograph the more than 30 trains passing by a day. Above, in the heart of downtown Bryan, you can easily spot the LaSalle Hotel, the second-tallest building in town. 52 Texas Highways August 2007 room amenities like hair dryers, televisions, and coffeemakers. The lobby still has its original black, gray, and white terrazzo floor and green marble baseboards. The hotel’s coffee shop, the LaSalle Cafe, serves light fare. Prominent Bryan businessman Robert W. Howell, who in the 1920s envisioned a hotel rivaling those in Chicago and New York City, constructed the LaSalle for approximately $250,000. Passengers departing from one of Bryan’s Above, a close-up of a caboose from the old Southern Pacific Railroad at Eagle Lake’s Prairie Edge Museum. Travelers seeking lodging in Flatonia need look no further than the Olle Hotel (top), a refurbished early-1880s boardinghouse that reopened its doors in 2005.LaSalllle Hotel and CafeDowntown Bryan boosters credit the 1928 LaSalle Hotel with helping to rejuvenate a city center left mostly deserted from the late 1960s through the early 1980s, a period when businesses fled eastward to be closer to customers in nearby College Station.In 2002, Bryan launched a master plan to remake its downtown into a thriving locus for commerce, shopping, and dining. Momentum faltered when the LaSalle Hotel—which had recently been renovated and reopened after decades as a nursing home, apartments, and vacant eyesore—almost shut its doors. The city provided financial assistance to the hotel’s developer and wound up owning the LaSalle.Today, the seven-story, buff-colored brick landmark hosts business travelers and wedding parties amidst improved sidewalks, repaved streets, and other notable historic properties, including Texas’ oldest operating Carnegie library. In keeping with the city’s plan, many historic downtown buildings house offices, restaurants, shops, and lofts. One trailblazing example, the Old Bryan Marketplace, located just west of the LaSalle, features 22,000 square feet of retail space, an events center, and Madden’s Casual Gourmet restaurant. “I feel privileged and blessed to be a part of what’s happening downtown,” says Marketplace owner Kay Conlee, who opened her doors in 1996. “It’s just amazing to see a dead downtown come alive.” “Could all of this really have happened if the LaSalle had nothing but pigeons in it?” asks John Hendry, executive director of the Downtown Bryan Economic Development Association. He praises the city’s support for the hotel.The LaSalle’s 55 guest rooms and suites include private bathrooms and brim with antiques, but they also feature modern in-two nearby railway depots could easily spot the hotel, just as automobile travelers can today. It’s downtown’s second-tallest structure. OllOllOlle HotelConsiderably more modest accommodations greeted railway travelers seeking room and board in Flatonia, about 100 miles southwest of Bryan. In 1926, Otto Olle (pronounced AH-lee) and his wife, Agnes, purchased an early-1880s, two-story brick boardinghouse several blocks from the depot, dubbing it the Olle Hotel. The Olle name was already well known in the tiny German-Czech community, as Otto had August 2007 Texas Highways 53 managed Flatonia’s Buckhorn Saloon and the Otto Cafe.The Olles’ early lodgers included traveling salesmen, or “drummers,” who came to town hawking their wares. Relatives remember the hotel as a well-run establishment, and Agnes as a kind and generous woman. Jim Vogt spent summers in Flatonia with his grandmother as a child in the 1950s. “Each Saturday morning, she’d make 90 to 100 doughnuts for neighbors and anyone who’d come by,” he says. “They’d all be gone in about 30 minutes.”The metal loops that once held Agnes’ quilting frame remain embedded in the ceiling of guest room 1, her former quarters. When Agnes had spare time, she would lower the quilt and start stitching. Although most of her quilts are long gone, you need only ask the hotel’s new proprietor, Kathryn Geesaman, for a peek at the remaining Olle heirlooms.Kathryn reopened the hotel in 2005 with a clean, uncluttered decor that is best described as Pottery Barn Meets Round Top Antiques Fair. The 10 airy rooms, each with a private bath, feature hardwood floors set off by Oriental-style and sisal rugs. Iron beds, some original to the hotel, and glass-topped wrought-iron tables crafted by an area artisan complete the look.Sweet, unpasteurized cream from After decades as a nursing home and as apartments, Bryan’s Lasalle hotel has been rejuvenated to its former glory.With some notable updates to the walls and decor, the LaSalle (above) retains its 1928 original flooring, adding to the nostalgia and open feel of the hotel. At right, guests staying at the Farris Hotel in Eagle Lake don’t have to leave the premises to enjoy a wonderful dining experience. The restaurant’s Sunday champagne brunch proves especially popular. 54 Texas Highways August 2007 nearby Stryk Jersey Farm adds local flavor to the fresh coffee served daily. Kathryn also offers guests a complimentary breakfast buffet of fresh fruit, kolaches, and yogurt.Flatonia’s location just off Interstate 10, midway between San Antonio and Houston, makes it a convenient overnight stop. You’ll welcome the hotel’s comfortable, intimate atmosphere after a day of touring the famous painted churches of Fayette County. Don’t forget to visit the city’s A.E. Arnim Archives and Museum, a now defunct manually operated railway-switching tower for the Union Pacific Railroad, and local antique shops to hunt for treasures. Farris HotelLess than 60 miles east of Flatonia, the Farris Hotel in Eagle Lake attracts hunters of a different sort, thanks to an abundance of waterfowl that winter in the area’s rice fields and the waters of privately owned Eagle Lake and the adjacent Lower Lake. Many hunters who flock here roost at the two-story Farris, which has its very own gun-cleaning room. room. Hotel managers and chefs Tony and Faith Powers even accommodate firearms (unloaded) and hunting dogs (crated) in the hotel’s 16 guest rooms.From mid-September through February, the Farris offers grab-and-go breakfasts and thermoses of hot coffee or cocoa for its shotgun-toting guests, many of whom use guides to stalk Canada geese, snow geese, and speckled-belly geese, as well as teal, mallard, and pintail ducks.W.A. Dallas, an official with the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad, opened this red brick hotel in 1912 across from the tracks. Drummers were the Dallas Hotel’s primary customers. The “drummer’s room,” once dedicated to displaying the salesmen’s wares to customers, is now the Cooked Goose Saloon, a cozy space with forest-green walls, dark wood wainscoting, stuffed waterfowl, and prints of serene rural landscapes.The hotel’s current namesakes, Helyn and William Farris, bought and renovated the building in the 1970s. They replastered, replumbed, and replaced termite-infested wood before reopening the rooms and restaurant. “I remember when it was literally a flophouse,” says local resident Sandy Bendy. “When the Farrises redid it, it was a life-changing experience for our community.”Now under new ownership, the Farris and its restaurant host local bridge parAt Flatonia Rail Park, you can still see an old phone (above left) used by railroad operators inside the Southern Pacific Tower No. 3, the last manually operated switch tower in Texas. (The tower closed in 1996.) Above right, diners gather at Madden’s Casual Gourmet restaurant, in Old Bryan Marketplace. The Marketplace also features several shops, offering everything from distinctive home accessories to clothing and shoes. August 2007 Texas Highways 55 LaSalle Hotel and Cafe is at 120 S. Main St. in Bryan. Rooms start at $99. Call 866/822-2000; www.lasalle-hotel.com.Olle Hotel is at 218 S. Market Ave. in Flatonia. Rooms start at $95. Call 361/772-0310; www.ollehotel.com.Farris Hotel is at 201 N. McCarty in Eagle Lake. Rooms start at $80. Call 888/327-7471; www.farrishotel.com. (For the Farris Hotel Restaurant and the Cooked Goose Saloon, call 979/234-6500.)NOTE: Railroad hotels were situated near the tracks for the convenience of their original guests. Light sleepers who might be disturbed by nighttime trains will appreciate having a set of earplugs. While some hotels provide these, it’s wise to pack your own.area AttractionsFollowing is contact information for attractions mentioned in the story and other nearby sites. Call ahead for hours and any admission fees.BryananCarnegie Center of Brazos Valley History is at 111 S. Main St. Call 979/209-5630; www.bcslibrary.org/carnegie.html.The Children’s Museum of the Brazos Valley is at 111 E. 27th St. Call 979/779-5437; www.mymuseum.com.Messina Hof Winery & Resort is at 4545 Old Reliance Rd. (Tasting room hours: Mon–Sat 10–7, Sun noon–4; guided hourlong tours $5.) Call 979/778-9463; www.messinahof.com.Old Bryan Marketplace is at 202 S. Bryan Ave. Call 979/779-3245; www.oldbryan.com.Madden’s Casual Gourmet, at 202 S. Bryan Ave., attracts crowds for its freshly made soups and salads, grilled steaks, and seafood. Call 979/779-2558; www.pmaddens.com.Square One Bistro, at 211 W. William J. Bryan Pkwy., serves beef tenderloin, and pasta dishes that include shrimp and prosciutto alfredo, as well as homemade desserts. Call 979/361-0264; www.squareonebryan.com.George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is at 1000 George Bush Dr. West in nearby College Station. Call 979/691-4000; http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu.Flatoni alatonialatonialatonialatonialatonialatoniaBrenda’s Restaurant, at 1143 E. Old US 90, serves daily hot-plate lunch specials that include homemade gumbo, pork tenderloin, and beef vegetable stew. Call 361/865-3391.Donna’s Cozy Cafe, at 306 E. North Main St., features pancakes and omelets for breakfast; enchiladas and grilled-chicken salads for lunch. Call 361/865-2333.City Market Cafe, at 124 E. South Main St., offers a buffet lunch serving Southern favorites. Call 361/865-3381.Local railway enthusiast Tommy Shults gives free tours of the Flatonia Rail Park, which features historic rail-switching tower No. 3, a caboose, and a photo pavilion where you can photograph more than 30 trains passing through daily. Call ahead to schedule a free tour; 979/743-5366; www.sidetracktommy.com.E.A. Arnim Archives and Museum, at 101 E. North Main St., displays an extensive collection of household and farm items as well as several historic documents. Call 361/865-3455.Cinnamon Cupboard Antiques is at 121 E. North Main St. Call 361/865-3838.The Aston, at 110 W. North Main St., sells antiques and collectibles. Call 361/865-3912.Kloesel’s Steakhouse & Bar, at 101 Moore St. in nearby Moulton, serves fish, pasta, and fried chicken in addition to its signature steaks. Call 361/569-7323; www.kloesel.com.Schchulenble nblenblenburgrg/Fayetteetteetteette CountntyStryk Jersey Farm, at 629 Krenek Stryk Rd. in Schulenburg, sells raw cheeses and other dairy products. Call 979/561-8468; www.texas cheese.com.Full-color tour maps of the Painted Churches of Fayette County are available at the Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce, at 618 N. Main St., for $4. Call 979/743-4514; www.schulenburg chamber.org. Eagleagleagleagle LakeakeakePrairie Edge Museum, at 408 E. Main St., includes exhibits on area flora and fauna, and displays about notable residents. Call 979/234-7442.Austin’s BBQ & Catering, at 507 E. Main St., offers take-out and outdoor seating only. Call 979/234-5250; www.elc.net/austins.Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge is 6.5 miles northeast of Eagle Lake, just off of FM 3013. Call 979/234-3021; www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/attwater.Johnny’s Sport Shop, at 101 Boothe Dr., supplies hunters and anglers. anglers. Call 979/234-3516; www.johnnys-sport-shop.com.essentials Railroad HotelslllEagle LakeBryanFlatoniaLIZ CARMACK is a freelance writer in Austin. Her first book, Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler’s Guide, will be published by Texas A&M University Press this November.Versatile photographer J. GRIFFisis SMITH provided photographs for last month’s story on traveling with your dog.ties, banquets, business meetings, and receptions. The dining room opens for dinner Thursday through Saturday and draws a crowd at its Sunday champagne brunch. Meal-and-lodging packages cater to hunters or anyone seeking a quiet getaway during the off-season.Eagle Lake’s small downtown and the Prairie Edge Museum are one block away, across tracks that daily (and nightly) rumble with more than a dozen passing trains. Although the hotel offers free wireless Internet, the temptation is strong to eschew connections with the outside world. The homey guest rooms, most of which share a bathroom, open onto a communal parlor where you you can watch a DVD from the hotel’s movie library, enjoy a game of cards, or browse copies of Texas Outdoors Journal, Ducks Unlim­ited Magazine…and Texas Highways.HThe Farris Hotel’s homey rooms, special amenities, and proximity to migratory waterfowl on nearby Eagle Lake make the historic lodging extra appealing to hunters in the fall and winter.