Our History
26 March 1912
Harry Pattee announces that he and his brother William will build a three-story hotel on Willis Avenue to honor their father David Jackson (DJ) Pattee.
20 April 1912
Plans for the new hotel are submitted to Harry and William Pattee by their architect, Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson, for approval.
19 July 1912
DJ Pattee dies in Perry.
23 August 1912
Steel for the first two floors of the hotel arrives from Pittsburgh.
1 November 1912
Five companies submit bids to install plumbing in the new hotel; the lowest bid comes in at $11,001 and the job is awarded to Bailey & Pepper of Des Moines.
18 February 1913
Total cost of hotel furnishing is estimated at $14,000.
29 May 1913
Grand opening banquet for 375 is served and the hotel is open for business.
4 February 1914
Harry and William Pattee sell the Hotel Pattee.
29 May 1915
General Manager Frank Wray sells his interest in the hotel to Alex McSwan of Chicago. Mr. McSwan receives all furniture fixtures, equipment, and an eight-year lease.
14 June 1915
J.D. Gates of Illinois acquires the Hotel Pattee, 640 acres of land in Nebraska, 600 acres of land in Canada, and 80 acres of land in southern Iowa in exchange for 320 acres of farmland in Minnesota.
2 October 1918
Hotel’s Saturday night dance is postponed due to a Spanish influenza quarantine at Camp Dodge.
12 November 1918
Saturday night dances at hotel resume.
4 September 1928
The barn behind the hotel, at one time a stable for the Pattee family livestock and later a blacksmith shop, but always a Perry landmark, is torn down because of safety considerations. Best guesses put the barn at 35-40 years old (c. 1895).
15 January 1930
The Hotel Pattee reopens after the holidays with “Aunt” Rachael Carpenter in charge of the restaurant. Previously, “Aunt” Rachael had been the proprietor of the successful Perry restaurant, The Waffle Shop, and promises the same excellent food and service residents of Perry associate with her.
21 July 1931
Public restrooms at the hotel close due to lack of city subsidy for the water bill.
17 November 1931
William Arney of Enid, Oklahoma, purchases the Hotel Pattee.
17 December 1935
After a complete first floor renovation, the new Pattee Coffee Shop and Grill opens resplendent in walnut, maple, steel, and red leather with a menu featuring a special jelly omelet with sugar glaze and baked milk-fed chicken with celery dressing.
10 December 1936
William Arney sells the Hotel Pattee to J.E. DeBreuil.
15 March 1939
Edwin A. Boss and the Boss Hotels Company purchase the Hotel Pattee.
11 August 1949
The new Town Pump opens in the Hotel Pattee after a summer-long remodeling project. The remodeling also includes a new lobby switchboard and front desk.
12 December 1963
A $20,000 remodeling project converts 16 rooms into four apartments renting for $115 a month each. The third remodeling of the Hotel Pattee also includes a renovation of the dining room and the creation of the Plume Room, used for small parties.
26 October 1966
After 50 years, the canopy shading the front of the hotel is removed for remodeling.
4 December 1972
The hotel is transferred from the Boss Hotel chain to Meredith Shriver.
8 April 1974
After the hotel’s fifth remodeling, it opens with a new name—The Escadrille Inn.
20 September 1974
In less than two years, owner Meredith Shriver makes considerable changes to the hotel. The only original piece remaining from
1913 is the “Pattee” inscribed at the top of the building.
1 October 1993
The Escadrille Inn is sold by Meredith Shriver at auction and is bought by former Perry resident Roberta Green Ahmanson and her husband Howard.
November 1995
The Hotel Pattee closes for the first time in 82 years for interior demolition, and the first floor facade is removed.
February 1996
Construction, renovation, and restoration begin on the Hotel Pattee.
29 May 1997
A grand re-opening dinner for 160 reproduces and commemorate the first grand opening dinner exactly 84 years previous and usher in a new era of Hotel Pattee history.
2 June 1997
After two and a half years, the Hotel Pattee reopens with its canopy back in place, the bowling alley restored in the basement, a world class restaurant and chef, and 40 rooms and suites—all with their own bathrooms (which the 1913 design lacked).
2004
After two years of construction, Soumas Court is complete and is dedicated not only to George Soumas, but other community members of Perry.
30 December 2006
The Ahmansons close the Hotel Pattee.
21 July 2008
After being vacant for one and a half years, a Kansas company called Leisure buys the Hotel from the Ahmanson’s. The community of Perry put together a 5 year agreement in order to partner with Leisure.
1 August 2013
Leisure went to the Raccoon Valley Bank and negotiated a transfer of ownership back to the bank.
1 November 2013
Jay and Denise Hartz, along with the help of other investors, purchase the Hotel Pattee. They spent a significant amount of money cleaning up the place to be ready for reopening.
March 2017
All new bowling equipment was installed in the Arthur “Oley” Olson Bowling Alley. A total new renovation/upgrade including balls, shoes, computer system, etc.
1 March 2018
Tom and Vickie Maxwell take possession of the Hotel Pattee.
30 May 2018
For the fifth year in a row, the Hotel Pattee has received the Certificate of Excellence award after consistently having positive TripAdvisor reviews. The five consecutive years has earned the Hotel Pattee a place in the Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame.
1 April 2021
Perry Industries, Inc. ("PEDI") and Perry Economic Development, Inc. (PED) purchase the Hotel Pattee and La Poste in partnership with the City of Perry.