Columbia Hotel

The Columbia Hotel was located on the northeast corner of Roberts Street and 2nd Avenue N. It was a four story brick structure with its entrance faced Roberts Street. It opened for business on October 1, 1888, and advertised "Everything new. 100 rooms electric lighted - steam heated and superbly furnished. Rooms with or without baths. Prices from $2 to $3 per day according to rooms. The Daily Argus, October 2, 1888 listed a long who's who list of Fargo notables who attended the grand opening banquet and ceremony. The menu consisted of oysters on half shell, Columbia salmon, young pig, baked apples, sweet potatoes, turkey, baked stuffed tomatoes, cranberry sauce, spring chicken "Maryland Style", green peas, asparagus, Queen fritters, sauce Sabayou, "Board of Trade" punch, saddle of venison, currant jelly, broiled prairie chicken, sautee of wild duck, Spanish olives, dressed celery, lobster salad, Columbia ice cream, fancy cake and fruit. The Fargo orchestra conducted by J. Roermeester played, followed by speeches and toasts.

The hotel was lost in the Fargo fire of June 7, 1893 and was never rebuilt. The ruins of the building stood at the site for a decade until the location became the site of Fargo's first Public Library.