Daniel Boone County-City Building

Daniel Boone County-City Building. . The Daniel Boone Tavern, constructed at a cost of $135,000, was opened September 1, 1917, by the Columbia Hotel Company. A considerable part of the cost of the building was raised by popular subscription. For many years the hotel served as the community center for Columbia. It was the meeting place of most Columbia service clubs and scores of other city, county, and state organizations., Notables from all parts of the world crossed its threshold during the more than one-half century of its existence as the leading hotel of the community. Among its distinguished guests were Harry Truman, Alben Barkley, and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt., Hundreds of speakers and entertainers who appeared on the three campuses in Columbia were housed at the Daniel Boone. On more than one occasion, University coeds and Stephens College students were housed temporarily on the upper floors until dormitories were available on campus. In 1940 the name was changed to the Daniel Boone Hotel., Frank W. Leonard was manager-president of the Hotel Company from 1917 to 1949. James C. Nanson served as assistant manager from 1928 to 1949, and as manager-president from 1949 to 1972., On February 22, 1972, the hotel was purchased jointly by the city and county. Having served so well for more than one-half century in the unofficial role as the guest house for the city and county, it became an official government building of the city and the county. , City council members at the time of the purchase were Mayor Orville E. Hobart, Richard Knipp, Rodney Smith, Betty McCaskill, and Clyde Wilson; Don Allard was city manager; County Court members were Presiding Judges James C. Butcher, Clarence Drew and Jerry Mead.