Soo Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Soo Hotel, later known as the Princess Hotel, The Patterson Hotel Annex, and The Hotel Dakotan is a historic building located on Fifth Street North in Bismarck, North Dakota
and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1983. It was built by prominent businessman and political powerhouse Edward Patterson in 1906 as a second-class hotel to his other property, the high-class Northwestern Hotel. The four-floor, 76-room hotel was named after the Soo Line Railroad
which had arrived in town in 1902 and whose depot was located several blocks away. It was briefly the tallest building in Bismarck.
architect Milton Earle Beebe to design the hotel. Beebe had previously designed the Patterson Block for him, also listed on the National Register and located around the corner from the Soo on Main Street. The basement and first two floors were constructed of reinforced concrete
with the upper walls being tied to concrete facing blocks pressed at the construction site. The third and fourth floors were constructed entirely of 6-inch cement blocks with wood framing due to the fourth floor possibly being a last-minute addition. The facade is faced with glazed "Spot-Iron" Hebron pressed brick manufactured by the Hebron Brick Company
in Hebron, North Dakota
. The building originally sported a tall brick pediment stating the name of the Hotel and the date of construction but this was removed sometime after the 1930s.
When completed in early 1907 the building was advertised as "absolutely fireproof" recalling the fire that had destroyed most of downtown Bismarck in 1898. Following the construction of the adjacent McKenzie Hotel in 1911, built by Patterson and owned by Alexander McKenzie
, a close friend of Patterson's, the two hotels were connected to allow patrons of the Soo access to the McKenzie's dining facilities.
After McKenzie's passing in 1922, Patterson acquired his hotel and would rename it the Patterson Hotel
in March 1927. At the same time Patterson renamed the Soo hotel the Princess. This supposedly was a jab
at his arch-rival in the Bismarck business and political world, Edmond A. Hughes, who shortly before had been involved in renaming the Van Horn Hotel, two blocks west, the
Prince Hotel. In the mid 1930's, Patterson renamed the Princess the Patterson Hotel Annex. Although it remained a separate hotel, guests had to check in at the Patterson Hotel desk. Around 1950 the hotel came under new ownership and was renamed The Dakotan. At this time the building was separated from the Patterson and as part of a major interior remodel had its own lobby re-constructed as well as having its own elevator installed in the building's light shaft.
With the construction of Interstate 94
in 1964 business began to decline in downtown Bismarck and by the end of the 1970s, the Dakotan closed for business. The upper floors remained vacant until it was renovated in the 1980s by Northwest Development Group headed by Jim Christianson, who has restored many historic buildings in the Bismarck/Mandan area. The ground floor, which originally held the hotel lobby as well as a succession of grocery businesses and a department store, currently houses small stores.
Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779...
and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1983. It was built by prominent businessman and political powerhouse Edward Patterson in 1906 as a second-class hotel to his other property, the high-class Northwestern Hotel. The four-floor, 76-room hotel was named after the Soo Line Railroad
Soo Line Railroad
The Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , controlled through the Soo Line Corporation, and one of seven U.S. Class I railroads. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste...
which had arrived in town in 1902 and whose depot was located several blocks away. It was briefly the tallest building in Bismarck.
History
Edward Patterson chose FargoFargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
architect Milton Earle Beebe to design the hotel. Beebe had previously designed the Patterson Block for him, also listed on the National Register and located around the corner from the Soo on Main Street. The basement and first two floors were constructed of reinforced concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
with the upper walls being tied to concrete facing blocks pressed at the construction site. The third and fourth floors were constructed entirely of 6-inch cement blocks with wood framing due to the fourth floor possibly being a last-minute addition. The facade is faced with glazed "Spot-Iron" Hebron pressed brick manufactured by the Hebron Brick Company
Hebron Brick Company
Hebron Brick is a brick manufacturing company located in Hebron, North Dakota. It is also the only brick company in North Dakota. Charles Weigel and Ferdinand Leutz established Hebron Fire & Pressed Brick Company in 1904...
in Hebron, North Dakota
Hebron, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 803 people, 357 households, and 228 families residing in the city. The population density was 539.2 people per square mile . There were 434 housing units at an average density of 291.4 per square mile...
. The building originally sported a tall brick pediment stating the name of the Hotel and the date of construction but this was removed sometime after the 1930s.
When completed in early 1907 the building was advertised as "absolutely fireproof" recalling the fire that had destroyed most of downtown Bismarck in 1898. Following the construction of the adjacent McKenzie Hotel in 1911, built by Patterson and owned by Alexander McKenzie
Alexander McKenzie (American politician)
Alexander John McKenzie was a politician in early North Dakota. He preferred not to serve in public office, but was highly influential in North Dakota and in neighboring Montana and Minnesota...
, a close friend of Patterson's, the two hotels were connected to allow patrons of the Soo access to the McKenzie's dining facilities.
After McKenzie's passing in 1922, Patterson acquired his hotel and would rename it the Patterson Hotel
Patterson Hotel
The Patterson Hotel was a prominent and luxurious hotel located in Bismarck, North Dakota that was home to the Nonpartisan League and well-known for its continued construction that lasted over twenty years...
in March 1927. At the same time Patterson renamed the Soo hotel the Princess. This supposedly was a jab
at his arch-rival in the Bismarck business and political world, Edmond A. Hughes, who shortly before had been involved in renaming the Van Horn Hotel, two blocks west, the
Prince Hotel. In the mid 1930's, Patterson renamed the Princess the Patterson Hotel Annex. Although it remained a separate hotel, guests had to check in at the Patterson Hotel desk. Around 1950 the hotel came under new ownership and was renamed The Dakotan. At this time the building was separated from the Patterson and as part of a major interior remodel had its own lobby re-constructed as well as having its own elevator installed in the building's light shaft.
With the construction of Interstate 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
in 1964 business began to decline in downtown Bismarck and by the end of the 1970s, the Dakotan closed for business. The upper floors remained vacant until it was renovated in the 1980s by Northwest Development Group headed by Jim Christianson, who has restored many historic buildings in the Bismarck/Mandan area. The ground floor, which originally held the hotel lobby as well as a succession of grocery businesses and a department store, currently houses small stores.