The Hotel Grace

The Hotel Grace was built in 1909 by Col. W.L. Beckham, a hotel builder and operator from Greenville, Texas. He named his newest hotel for his daughter, Grace. , , At that time, the Grace was the major hotel between Fort Worth and El Paso. The Grace was conveniently located across the street from the T&P Railroad Depot, providing a first class welcome to weary travellers. Originally built with three stories, the hotel added a fourth story in the mid-1920s during one of Abilene’s biggest boom times. The additions included the rooftop dance floor and a kitchen. The next major renovation was in the 1940s, and the name was changed to the Drake Hotel. , , During the 1950s and 1960s the hotel declined in quality along with the decline of the railroad as a significant part of Abilene’s economy. In 1973 the hotel closed with the failure of its fifty year old boiler. The Abilene Preservation League saved the building from demolition in 1986. , , The building was always used as a hotel. The commercial tenants of the building included a barbershop, a basement recreation club (a pool hall), a bus station, and a Western Union office. The Grace Coffee Shop was a favorite downtown restaurant where Abilenians met to discuss the events of this growing West Texas town.