Hotel Dacotah

The hotel was located on the northeastern corner of the intersection of Broadway and the N.P. railroad tracks at the address 1 Broadway. The building that housed the hotel was called the Kennedy Block. The rooms were on the second and third floors with a cafeteria on the first floor.

The Dacotah Hotel was started in 1914 by Mr. and Mrs. William John Prescott. They had been in the hotel business for about 30 years at that time. They had owned hotels in Superior, Grand Forks and Regina, Saskatchewan prior to their opening of the Dacotah. Previously, William J. Prescott was the owner of the Prescott Hotel in Fargo. The Prescott’s completely renovated the Kennedy building to meet their needs, and opened of business on October 15, 1915. According to a Fargo Forum & Daily Republican article dated October 9, 1915:

The result of their labors is seen in the spacious lobby and office and to the commodious dining room and kitchen which have been installed. The office is one of the handsomest in the city and the wall are finished in the new Tiffany style while the woodwork is in Mission and the desk and chairs are the finest in the state. There is a commodious writing room and a fine cigar and news stand in the lobby and the modern telephone booths and counter are the very latest in every respect.

In 1917 the hotel was sold to Clarence and Marion Dahl. They operated the hotel until the late 1940s when it was sold to Mamie Swanson.

In 1962, Elnor and Bertha Evenson bought the hotel. Elnor died in 1966, and Bertha continued to operate the hotel until 1975, when it was taken over by W. E. Rasmussen. Rasmussen was forced to close the hotel due to the high cost of heating. By the time it closed its 40 rooms were occupied by lower-income residents. The last occupants moved out on October 1, 1979. On June 24, 1980, the building was demolished for a parking lot.