
Remembering
the Lane Hotel
by James F. Hales
The most impressive structure in downtown Rogers is the five-story Spanish Colonial style building on the corner of Poplar and Second Streets. This magnificent building was built in 1928 as the luxurious Lane Hotel and has done business as the Harris Hotel, The Hotel Arkansas, and several retirement homes.
The Lane Hotel cost $150,000 and opened in 1928 with much fanfare, but the timing was catastrophic, for the Great Depression started the next year. People did not have money for a fancy hotel and it failed soon afterward. During the depression most businesses struggled or failed, but two blocks away on Walnut Street, one business thrived. Earl Harris started the Harris Bakery in the same year that the big hotel was built. Harris was producing bread for 10c per loaf and shipping it to grocery stores all over NW Arkansas. It was cheaper to buy bread during the depression than to make your own.
In 1935, Earl Harris bought the bankrupt Lane Hotel for $100,000. This was quite a bargain for the hotel had been built just seven years earlier for $150,000. He changed the name to the Harris Hotel, and made it into the cultural center of Northwest Arkansas. In 1936, Harris built a new bakery just north of the Harris Hotel that was advertised as the most beautiful bakery in America. The two properties joined in the back and Harris used the steam from the hotel heating system to heat his new bakery.
The hotel was located between the bus station on Second Street and the train depot on First Street, and was the place to stay. Traveling salesmen, tourists, movie actors, and even college football teams who came to play the Arkansas Razorbacks were guests. Some of the occupants who have stayed at the Lane include aviator Amelia Earhart, boxer Jack Dempsey, and actors Errol Flynn and Henry Fonda.
The Harris was the largest and nicest hotel between Kansas City, Fort Smith, and Little Rock and was billed as “The Palace of the Ozarks”. Many famous bands played in the spacious ballrooms, and people from all over Rogers, not lucky enough to be invited to the events, would come and sit on the curb and enjoy the great music.
The lobby of the Hotel was always buzzing with activity. “People were always hanging around the lobby including many local citizens who wanted to be a part of the excitement. On the left of the lobby was a shop that sold newspapers and other items and had a shoeshine stand. A room further west on the lobby floor was a fairly large room for piano recitals and other functions. Off the lobby to the right was a large room where dances, balls, wedding receptions, and other social activities were held. At the time before World War II, Rogers was wet, and if a hotel guest wanted a drink, he would tip a hotel employee to get a bottle of liquor from the liquor store across the street. The Harris Hotel was the center of social activity in northwest Arkansas.” (From an interview with Pat Harris, Earl Harris’ son, May 5, 2007)
When Earl Harris acquired the hotel, the dining area was a large ballroom on the front. Harris built a nice restaurant on the back of the hotel in 1939 called the Orchard Room. Kay Calvin Sanford’s father, Forrest Calvin, was the manager of the hotel from 1943 until 1958. Kay grew up in the hotel and wrote about her experiences. “Our apartment at the hotel didn’t have a kitchen, so we were forced to eat all of our meals in the lovely Orchard Room located just upstairs. I suppose you could say I was kitchen deprived. The Orchard Room was a gathering place for the business people of Rogers. Judges, attorneys, doctors, store owners and managers, real estate and insurance agents all ate there sometime during the day. ”
Earl Harris sold the hotel in 1948 to Warren Felker who renamed it the Hotel Arkansas. Many Rogers’ citizens have fond memories of the hotel and posted on a Rogers’ web site: Linda Thrasher contributed, “I attended the ‘Blue Demon Ball’ at the hotel when I was in the 7th grade. . . I remember the ballroom being so huge with high ceilings and chandeliers.” Others who contributed happy memories of the Pep Club dances in the hotel: Carol Osbun Beaman, Joe Don Dickhut, Patty Thompson, Judy Sypult, and Kathy Williams Neal.
The hotel continued to be successful in the 1950s, but business started to fall off in the 1960s as new motels sprung up along Highway 71 S. in Rogers. The famous old “Palace of the Ozarks” closed July 15, 1963. The historic hotel has been vacant since 2004, but the beautiful lobby and Orchard Room are just as they were when new.
The City of Rogers has spent millions of dollars to restore and improve our historic downtown which is the heart of our beautiful city, but nothing would restore interest and excitement into downtown like bringing the old hotel back to life.
by James F. Hales
The most impressive structure in downtown Rogers is the five-story Spanish Colonial style building on the corner of Poplar and Second Streets. This magnificent building was built in 1928 as the luxurious Lane Hotel and has done business as the Harris Hotel, The Hotel Arkansas, and several retirement homes.
The Lane Hotel cost $150,000 and opened in 1928 with much fanfare, but the timing was catastrophic, for the Great Depression started the next year. People did not have money for a fancy hotel and it failed soon afterward. During the depression most businesses struggled or failed, but two blocks away on Walnut Street, one business thrived. Earl Harris started the Harris Bakery in the same year that the big hotel was built. Harris was producing bread for 10c per loaf and shipping it to grocery stores all over NW Arkansas. It was cheaper to buy bread during the depression than to make your own.
In 1935, Earl Harris bought the bankrupt Lane Hotel for $100,000. This was quite a bargain for the hotel had been built just seven years earlier for $150,000. He changed the name to the Harris Hotel, and made it into the cultural center of Northwest Arkansas. In 1936, Harris built a new bakery just north of the Harris Hotel that was advertised as the most beautiful bakery in America. The two properties joined in the back and Harris used the steam from the hotel heating system to heat his new bakery.
The hotel was located between the bus station on Second Street and the train depot on First Street, and was the place to stay. Traveling salesmen, tourists, movie actors, and even college football teams who came to play the Arkansas Razorbacks were guests. Some of the occupants who have stayed at the Lane include aviator Amelia Earhart, boxer Jack Dempsey, and actors Errol Flynn and Henry Fonda.
The Harris was the largest and nicest hotel between Kansas City, Fort Smith, and Little Rock and was billed as “The Palace of the Ozarks”. Many famous bands played in the spacious ballrooms, and people from all over Rogers, not lucky enough to be invited to the events, would come and sit on the curb and enjoy the great music.
The lobby of the Hotel was always buzzing with activity. “People were always hanging around the lobby including many local citizens who wanted to be a part of the excitement. On the left of the lobby was a shop that sold newspapers and other items and had a shoeshine stand. A room further west on the lobby floor was a fairly large room for piano recitals and other functions. Off the lobby to the right was a large room where dances, balls, wedding receptions, and other social activities were held. At the time before World War II, Rogers was wet, and if a hotel guest wanted a drink, he would tip a hotel employee to get a bottle of liquor from the liquor store across the street. The Harris Hotel was the center of social activity in northwest Arkansas.” (From an interview with Pat Harris, Earl Harris’ son, May 5, 2007)
When Earl Harris acquired the hotel, the dining area was a large ballroom on the front. Harris built a nice restaurant on the back of the hotel in 1939 called the Orchard Room. Kay Calvin Sanford’s father, Forrest Calvin, was the manager of the hotel from 1943 until 1958. Kay grew up in the hotel and wrote about her experiences. “Our apartment at the hotel didn’t have a kitchen, so we were forced to eat all of our meals in the lovely Orchard Room located just upstairs. I suppose you could say I was kitchen deprived. The Orchard Room was a gathering place for the business people of Rogers. Judges, attorneys, doctors, store owners and managers, real estate and insurance agents all ate there sometime during the day. ”
Earl Harris sold the hotel in 1948 to Warren Felker who renamed it the Hotel Arkansas. Many Rogers’ citizens have fond memories of the hotel and posted on a Rogers’ web site: Linda Thrasher contributed, “I attended the ‘Blue Demon Ball’ at the hotel when I was in the 7th grade. . . I remember the ballroom being so huge with high ceilings and chandeliers.” Others who contributed happy memories of the Pep Club dances in the hotel: Carol Osbun Beaman, Joe Don Dickhut, Patty Thompson, Judy Sypult, and Kathy Williams Neal.
The hotel continued to be successful in the 1950s, but business started to fall off in the 1960s as new motels sprung up along Highway 71 S. in Rogers. The famous old “Palace of the Ozarks” closed July 15, 1963. The historic hotel has been vacant since 2004, but the beautiful lobby and Orchard Room are just as they were when new.
The City of Rogers has spent millions of dollars to restore and improve our historic downtown which is the heart of our beautiful city, but nothing would restore interest and excitement into downtown like bringing the old hotel back to life.
In June of 1949, the Chamber of Commerce sponsored an Ozarks Golden Wedding Jubilee honoring couples married 50 years or longer. More than 117 couples from all over the country assembled on the steps of the Hotel Arkansas to “reaffirm” their wedding vows. (Courtesy of Kay Calvin Sanford)