Umatilla House

Umatilla House. When this fine hotel was completed in 1857, it soon became nationally known for its architectural charm, lavish furnishings and fixtures and warm and gracious hospitality. This stately property was considered to be the finest hotel west of Chicago and north of San Francisco. Further, it became the meeting place for steamboat men, miners, sheep and cattlemen, freighters and citizens of The Dalles. The barroom was elaborately decorated and often stocked as much as 2,500 gallons of whiskey and was the scene of many high stakes card games. , The main dining room seated 250 persons and employed as many as 16 waiters and 12 cooks. This was backed by an abundantly stocked store-room that held hundreds of dozens of eggs. Beef and ham was purchased by the ton, while a number of farmers sold their entire crop of garden produce to the hotel. Considering the luxurious furnishings, outstanding service and quality of food and drink, it is no wonder that the Umatilla House was the center on Mid-Columbia affairs. , During its long and illustrious life, the hotel played host to may distinguished guests. Some of them were U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, General W.T. Sherman, Railroad Tycoon Henry Villard, author Charles F. Train, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Edison, England's Lord Litchfield, author Rudyard Kipling, Boxers John L. Sullivan and James Corbett, U.S.Vice President Schuyler Colfax, Author and Humorist Mark Twain, and U.S. Senators J.N. Dalph and J.S. Mitchell. , The hotel had several owners that included H.P. Isaacs who sold it in 1883 to N.B. Sinnott and Major Dennis Hardly. They sold an interest to Judd S. Fish in 1893 and he sold to H.B. Salisbury in 1897. , The life of the Umatilla House was not alway a scene of fine dining and gracious living. It suffered several tragic events that included two devastating fires, each time it burned to the ground. On both occasions it was rebuilt only to damaged by the destructive flood of 1894. , The once proud hotel at First and Union St. fell into disrepair during the early 19--'s and was ordered destroyed by owner H.B. Salisbury on June 30, 1930. , "The Legend of the Umatilla House lives on today.".