Vernetta Hotel - Wickenburg, AZ
N 33° 58.182 W 112° 43.899
12S E 340019 N 3760147
The Vernetta Hotel was the finest hotel in Wickenburg at the turn of the twentieth century.
Waymark Code: WMZY3W
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 01/21/2019
Views: 3
Elizabeth Hudson Smith, a woman of African American descent, arrived in Wickenburg in 1897. She first stayed at the Baxter House, an adobe building of doubtful reputation. The owner hired Elizabeth and her husband to manage the property and her cooking soon attracted the attention of the community. The Santa Fe railroad encouraged her to build her own hotel and provide food and housing for travellers. She built the Vernetta Hotel, designed by James Creighton who was the most prominent architect of Arizona's territorial period. Elizabeth was a prominent member of the community during its early years, supplying the hotel kitchens from farms and ranches she owned. The Great Depression introduced racial prejudice due to economic competition and the hotel was shunned by travellers. Elizabeth passed away in 1935 and the dining room closed at that point. Today the building is known as the Hassayampa Building and houses a facility dedicated to treating anorexia. A strange twist of fate.
Year photo was taken: 1915
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