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| The Wyandotte County Jail was on the southeast corner of 7th Street and State Avenue. It was built in 1880 and razed in 1949. It was followed by the Town House Hotel, from 1951 to 1970. The Town House Hotel became The Ramada Inn, from 1971 to 1978. The hotel was purchased by the Cross Line Towers in 1979. Photo Courtesy of David Widder, Sr. |
(Editor's note: This is the 66th in a series of "then and now" articles on places and things of interest in Kansas City, Kan., compiled by area historian Margaret Landis in observance of the 100th birthday of KCK in 1986. Much of the information has appeared in past editions of The Kansan.)
(Transcriptions are presented without changes except to improve readability.)
Wyandotte County, Kan., was organized in 1859.
By May 1860, a contract was made to build a jail for $2,000. "The structure was to be 20 feet square, each story to be eight feet in the clear. The first story was to be divided centrally by a four-foot passage and into five cells -- three on one side of the passage, two on the other. The upper story was divided into three rooms, approached by an outside stairway."
It was made of planks laid and spike together.
In a special election Sept. 4, 1871, the voters defeated a $4,000 bond issue for a jail. A two-story stone building was rented for a jail and iron cells were placed in the building.
Again the jail issue was on the ballot in the Nov. 4, 1879 election. A site and building for the jail was not to exceed $12,000.
In the official election returns, the proposition carried 1,845 to 536. Included in the returns: Wyandotte City, four wards; Quindaro Township, composed of Steward, Quindaro, Six Mile, White Church and Pomeroy; Prairie Township, Connor and Prairie; Delaware Township, Edwardsville, Tiblow and Mission; Shawnee Township, Kansas City, Rosedale, Junction and Hester; and Wyandott Township, Armstrong, Kerry, Muncie and Delaware.
The county commissioners advertised to receive bids May 24, 1880 for the building of the county jail. R.W. Vaughan and Co. received the contract to build the jail. for the wood and stone work, the amount was $7,647. The contract for the iron work and cells was awarded to Insley, Shire and Co. at $3,485. The total cost was $11,132.
The multi-story, red brick building had the house facing 7th Street and was used for the sheriff's office and living quarters. At the rear on the State Avenue side was the jail. it was an impressive public building for a jail, surrounded by an iron picket fence.
The old County Court House, 7th and Minnesota, and county jail, 7th and State, were in separate buildings. Plans for the new court house, 7th Street (Ann to Barnett) would combine the court hose and jail. The new court house was dedicated July 12, 1927. The jail facilities were not installed at the time of dedication. They were completed by 1931 when Sheriff Albert G. Becker was the first to administer the new jail and live at the court house until 1974 (Jess Boring was the last sheriff to live there).
A new hotel for Kansas City, Kan., was a project of the Chamber of Commerce and civic leaders for several years.
The county commissioners advertised the old jail site and the old court house for sale on the same date. The old court house site was sold for a new department store, Montgomery Ward's on the northwest corner of 7th and Minnesota Avenue. The Hotel Committee of the Chamber of Commerce purchased the old jail site for $40,000 on March 25, 1937. The property was held in escrow. During World War II, the hotel plans were placed in abeyance and the funds were invested.
By 1949, additional fund raising drives and financing were completed. The old jail was razed in November 1949. Eugene J. Stern was the architect for the 14-story structure. The Town House Hotel was formally opened with gala ceremonies Aug. 6, 1951.
In less than two decades after it opened, the hotel closed June 22, 1970 because of the mortgage foreclosure, interest payments and outstanding back taxes.
In March 1971, The Executive Manor, Inc., Topeka Ramada Inns franchise group purchased the Town House Hotel from the Wyandotte Hotel Company. It was "scheduled to reopen within four months as a top grade hotel" after refurbishing the hotel's 250 rooms and redecorating the lobbies and hallways.
It was operated as Ramada Inn -- Center City.
Several reasons were offered for the demise of the hotel. Among them were:
March 29, 1979, Executive Man, Inc., of Topeka, sold the Ramada Inn -- Center City to the Cross Lines Towers, Inc. (a not-for-profit Kansas Corporation).
The Cross Lines Towers is used for a retirement center (under the Housing and Urban Development).