One of the items noted by the writers of the American Guide Series book,
Washington: a guide to the Evergreen state was the
Cariboo Hotel. Though it's not mentioned by name, it is definitely the hotel to which they refer, still in business to this day and the most prominent hotel in the town since its opening in 1925.
OKANOGAN, 51.8 m. (829 alt., 1,735 pop.), the center of government in Okanogan County since 1915, is also headquarters for the Chelan National Forest. Though less populous than Omak, it has a larger and more impressive business district. The six blocks of brick and frame buildings occupy a narrow valley on a delta bar, at the mouth of Salmon Creek. The Okanogan River winds slowly and quietly a few hundred feet left of Second Avenue, the main thorough fare. Across a steel bridge spanning the stream are rows of warehouses, packing plants, and the railroad tracks.
Okanogan's leading hotel offers the "howdy-stranger-hitch-and-come-in" hospitality of the earlier West..
From Washington: a guide to the Evergreen state
Now known more commonly as the Cariboo Inn, the Cariboo Hotel Opened for business on December 18, 1925. Given Okanogan's location across the Okanogan River from an old trail used by gold miners on their way to the Cariboo Country in British Columbia, the hotel's name seems quite understandable.
With increased access by railroad and auto, Okanogan added another industry to its economy, tourism. It was especially successful at attracting Canadian visitors, traveling a new auto route with a name hearkening back to the old days: The Okanogan-Cariboo Trail. In 1925, a new hotel called the Cariboo Inn opened to cater to that tourist trade.
From History Link
While the hotel has remained in continuous operation since 1925, the hotel's restaurant has fared slightly less well,
closing in 2014. The closure, though, lasted but a year, with the restaurant
reopening in 2015 under new management. A lounge, operated in conjunction with the restaurant, had closed previously and apparently will not reopen.
When it opened, the Cariboo offered guests a choice of 34 rooms, which is no longer the case. Some rooms have been converted to apartments, currently renting for $650 per month, while about a half dozen standard hotel rooms remain available to the travelling public.
On the front of the hotel is a historical marker, placed by the Okanogan Chamber of Commerce and the City of Okanogan Planning Commission, aided by the Okanogan Historical Society, text from which follows.
1925 - Cariboo Hotel
December 18, 1925 marked the formal opening of the Cariboo Inn, approximately one year after fire destroyed the landmark Bureau Hotel. Strongly promoted by the Commercial Club, the building of the Cariboo Inn received solid financial support from local citizens with most of the interior furnishings purchased from local merchants.
The name of the hotel was adopted following a suggestion made by Miss Harriet Woody. The name was considered very appropriate, since much attention was being given to the promotion of the Okanogan-Cariboo Trail as a tourist route through the valley to Canada.
The first manager of the hotel was Joseph E. Hurley, who had previously managed a large hotel in Waterville. The hotel provided 34 bedrooms on the second floor, all constructed with "the latest in sound-proofing materials". The main floor was divided into the lobby, dining rooms, storage rooms and professional office space.
The formal opening was marked by a special dinner in the dinning room with Steiner's orchestra playing continuously in the lobby. A dance at the Masonic Temple capped the evening, with music provided by Bert Ladd's orchestra.
While there have been a variety of owners through the years, the Cariboo Inn has served the community of Okanogan continuously since 1925 as a social hub for the community and our visitors.