Built in 1890 by Jacob Weinhard
The two-story brick building was constructed in 1890, developed by Jacob Weinhard. He learned the beer trade from Henry Weinhard, his uncle in Portland, before making the trek to Spokane to build his own empire. The young dapper dressed mogul got stuck in a snowstorm along the way in a mysterious place called Dayton. He liked what he saw. He stayed. In fact, he never left. Literally. He is buried just a mile away from the hotel.
His legacy is still celebrated today. He has a street named after him and there are large oil paintings of the two legendary Weinhard’s in the lobby alongside another famous character with his own legacy, Paulie Two Paws.
Over the years, Jacob’s building proved its resilience and will to survive while so many of its neighboring structures met their untimely fate. Most of the ornate brick buildings of Dayton’s past burned down decades ago. Uncle Henry built a sibling property in Astoria, OR which burned down in the 1930’s.
A devastating fire in Dayton occurred in 1961 which destroyed half of Jacob’s building, where the parking lot is today. A first of-its-kind firewall saved the balance of the building. The mysterious property has facilitated several uses ranging from a hardware store, bars, and even a Safeway in its timeline. Two trap doors have been discovered on the first floors dropping into the basement, fueling speculation about a nefarious past. The property is reported by many to be haunted with sighting of wandering silhouettes.
The story of the infamous building continues to evolve with its latest chapter, Hotel Hardware and The Bobcat Room.
