The Eldridge Hotel was built in 1855 under the name of Free State Hotel. This hotel was intended to be a temporary quarters for settlers coming from Boston and other areas while waiting for their homes to be built.
The Eldridge Hotel has seen many of issues with damage. In 1856 the hotel was attacked. Sheriff Same Jones burned it to the ground while heading a group of pro-slavery forces. It was rebuilt and even added an additional floor. On August 21st 1863 in Quantrill’s Raid (Lawrence Massacre) the hotel was used as the headquarters for the raid. This raid lasted for only 4 hours but left the hotel burned and over 150 men and children dead.
The hotel rebuilt the hotel and the name was changed from Free State Hotel to Hotel Eldridge. Its motto is “from ashes to immortality”.
Until 1925 Hotel Eldridge was considered one of the finest hotels west of the Mississippi. By 1925, the hotel had begun to deteriorate. Billy Hutson organized the tear down and rebuilt The Eldridge Hotel.
The Eldridge Hotel lost the battle to motels that were popping up in the 1960s and had to close their doors on July 1st, 1970. The building was converted to apartment shortly after and it stayed that way until 1985.
The city of Lawrence started a rebirth and renovation of historic locations, and they committed $2 million on top of the $1 million raised in private money. In 2004 the hotel was sold at auction to a group of University of Kansas Alumni. The Eldridge has taken its role again as Lawrence’s premier hotel.
The Eldridge Hotel is located at 701 Mass Street Lawrence, KS 66044.
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