Another Texas Excess story
When oil was discovered on the ranch of Will and Lillian Settles in 1927, they dreamed big. They commissioned the building of the largest hotel between El Paso and Ft. Worth. It was finished in 1930 after a year of work, during which the Great Depression began.
As is so often the case with the nouveau-riche, it became clear the reach of the Settles had exceeded their grasp and they had to sell the 15-story structure within two years. Ownership passed through many hands over the next few decades. The hotel, modern for its time and location, was popular enough…and its height ideal for those ready to “commit lifen’t”. Legends of its haunting remain to this day though that’s certainly not unique to any particular edifice.
Without proper renovation and a lack of petroleum and military money, by the 1970s (that’s just 40 years, very young by commercial property standards) the hotel was “for all intents a flophouse, a house of ill repute.” Even this accolade couldn’t save it and by 1980 it shuttered its doors, to remain dormant for over a quarter-century.
Looking for courier service? Click below.
Revived in 2006 by Brint Ryan (who bought the hotel for $75,000 – compared to the 1930-valued $500,000 the Settles had paid for its construction and its appraised value of negative $250,000), along with a $3M grant, the hotel has been restored to a quality it honestly seems to have lacked at any other time in its history. This took an additional six years. But it happened, and any travelers along I-20 seeking an opportunity to do some speakeasy cosplay or cavorting with unalives have their opportunity amid the pumpjacks of the Permian basin.
This is one of the many curiosities we’ve encountered in our travels as part of DFW Delivered courier service. If you’d like to schedule courier service from Dallas / Fort Worth to Big Spring, Midland, or Abilene, call/text 972.591.7750 or click the button below.