By Darlene Wilson
Nestled in the heart of Prescott, Arizona, the Hotel Vendome is rich in history, charm and an air of mystery. It was built in 1917 by Texas cowboy turned Arizona rancher, John “Jack” Benton Jones, who bought a house and adjoining lot on South Cortez Street and quickly began building his small hotel. As more people moved to Prescott, including miners, they needed a place to stay. When construction was completed, the hotel had 30 rooms and 16 bathrooms. It is unclear where a Texas rancher got the name Hotel Vendome. However, there happens to be a famous octagonal square named the Place Vendôme in Paris, France.
The early 20th century was a time of growth and expansion in Prescott. The Hotel Vendome was constructed during this boom period to cater to travelers and miners coming to strike it rich or to escape the desert heat. Unlike many establishments that have come and gone, the Hotel Vendome has retained much of its original structure and allure. Since 1983 it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the best example of a residential building meant for tourists from the post-territorial period (after 1912). Its unembellished appearance compared to earlier buildings is a rare local example of changing architectural trends. For builders of this period, complex Victorian motifs became passé, and simplified designs were in vogue.
The land and hotel have been owned by a number of noteworthy people, including Arizona’s Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry D. Ross, renowned local attorney Ziba Olmstead Brown and Henry Brinkmeyer, owner of a successful local bakery and several other hotels and restaurants. As for guests, it is also possible that Tom Mix, one of the most popular early cowboy movie stars, frequented the hotel.
In 1983 the Hotel Vendome underwent a major restoration, which included converting some rooms without baths into two-room suites and installing seven additional bathrooms. Part of the front room was removed and replaced with a breakfast/wine bar, the foundation was repaired and all rooms and the lobby were painted and re-carpeted. Today the hotel contains 20 individually decorated guest rooms meant to maintain a classic ambiance while offering modern amenities.
Perhaps the Hotel Vendome is most famous for its ghost stories. Prescott locals and paranormal enthusiasts are familiar with the tale of Abby and her cat, Noble, the most well-known ghosts said to haunt Room 16. There are many stories about Abby, but one prominent narrative is that, when Abby and her husband ran the hotel, Abby was very ill with tuberculosis. Her husband went out one day to get her medicine and never returned. Abby locked her cat in her closet, locked herself in her room and both eventually starved to death.
Since then, guests have reported strange occurrences in and around Room 16. Visitors often claim to hear soft footsteps and voices and even see a ghostly figure of a woman, thought to be Abby, roaming the hallways. Some have even noted they feel a cat brushing against their legs or jumping on the bed. The story of Abby adds to the hotel's mystique, drawing paranormal enthusiasts from all over who hope to glimpse the ghostly resident. However, many guests there have no idea it could be haunted…and nothing happens. Some guests stay at the Hotel Vendome because they heard it is haunted…and nothing happens.
Over the years, efforts have been made to preserve the historic character of the building, from the vintage furniture to the old-fashioned key system. Despite its haunted reputation, the Hotel Vendome remains a popular and unique lodging option in Prescott.
“Days Past” is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners International (www.prescottcorral.org). This and other Days Past articles are also available at www.archives.sharlothallmuseum.org/articles/days-past-articles/1. The public is encouraged to submit proposed articles and inquiries to dayspast@sharlothallmuseum.org Please contact SHM Research Center reference desk at 928-277-2003, or via email at archivesrequest@sharlothallmuseum.org for information or assistance with photo requests.