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Gilford Hotel, Third and Main
, Seneca, Kansas
Built in 1891--
perhaps this picture is near that time.
Enjoy it's splendor for a town of the size of Seneca.
Most of the photos on this web page
have been reduced in size compressed so as to load
faster. Should you have phone line connection they may
still load very slow.
This building fascinated me as a
building that would be built in the town of this size and
it was certainly was not something that came by accident for
accident are not this grand. The Gilford here is as
it
appeared shortly after constructed as there is is no
telephone poles or electric lines and the trees are small.
The
Gilford Hotel was built in 1892, located on the corner of Third and Main
where the Community National Bank is today (2004). From the 1938
anniversary edition of the Courier Tribune comes the following
information. "The Hotel Gilford was another of the imposing Seneca
Buildings erected by Charles G. Stafford . Associated with Mr. Stafford
was John Gilchist, with "Gilford" a combination formed from the names
of the promoters."
When you talk to people in Seneca about this building or the old high
school they remember these two building as ones they would have liked to have kept and
been able to restored. The builders must had great visions for the future for
Seneca because they looked to the future we have a city that has survived.
Many cities our size has let thing
decay till there is no place to start. The end
of the 19 century was a boom time for Seneca as there were many
people coming to the area and many building added to the town from 1890 in to the early 1900s. I would
hope some of then could be preserved for future generation to enjoy. Perhaps with the help that is available today in grants and
tax credits it may be easier for those who would like to
preserve our past history to do so..
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