Weaver Hotel
126 Kansas Ave., Waterville, KS 66548
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Travelers on the Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad in Kansas found a landmark stop in Waterville at the track-side Weaver Hotel. For decades, the Weaver was the travel, tourism and social hub of this region and of the Central Branch west of Atchison. Built in 1905, the Weaver Hotel sits directly across the street from the railroad tracks. Passengers waited for their train in the front parlor of the hotel, found lodging upstairs, ate in the dining room, and stepped across the street for performances in the Opera House. Railroad crews also stayed at the Weaver; first the workers building the railroad further west, and then the regular train crews. In the early years, drummers (traveling salesmen) arrived on the train and stayed at the Weaver Hotel. The impressive Weaver Building and “cosmopolitan” establishment was known as the “Pride of the Central Line”.
The Weaver Hotel is a landmark of railroad history, and symbol of the partnership between local commerce and the transportation industry. It came into being because of the railroad and lives again as a railroad history preserved in Waterville. After sitting quietly empty for years, the Waterville Preservation Society purchased the building and set out to save a piece of the community’s history. With the help of two grants and the hard work of many concerned citizens, the Weaver Hotel has been given a new face-lift inside and out and is ready for your visit. The facility hosts 10 lodging rooms, 2 party rooms, a visitor center with gift shop, and a 4-floor elevator. The entire facility is handicapped accessible.
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