Welcome to the Midland Railroad Hotel’s blog. Wilson is a wonderful place to visit and live. Through this blog, I plan to acquaint you with our rich Czech heritage, historical architecture, and many of the exciting adventures you can have here in post-rock country. I am a proud descendant of Czech settlers and honored to represent that legacy. Wilson, KS represents a slice of Americana, a snapshot of a bygone era where summer pastimes meant searching for fossils and chewing wheat kernels like it was gum; a time where a night out meant driving with my grandparents through town in their blue Plymouth; a place where my great aunt Marie taught me as a young child to make a cup of “coffee,” a mixture of milk and sugar with a dab of coffee. The hotel is a proud part of the appeal of this town and a way to support a place that I love – a way to pay homage to my heritage.
The hotel was originally built in 1899 as the Power Hotel. The hotel was marketed to the Union Pacific Railroad travelers – many on their way between Kansas City and Denver. In 1902 tragedy struck in the form of a fire and the hotel had to be rebuilt. Mr. Anspaugh, a local businessman, spearheaded the renovation. His family continued to be a patron of the hotel through the years. The hotel boasted one of only two long-distance phone booths located in Wilson and was the perfect spot for doctors to come from larger cities to see patients on a monthly basis. Even during the Great Depression, the Hotel prospered and employed local residents. However, the hotel’s third floor became the chicken coop to serve the restaurant. Boarders could rent by the month and eat in the dining room. The Golden Belt Highway ran through Wilson which was a good stopping point for truckers on their way from Kansas City to Denver.
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Melinda Merrill
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