- 1st building on the property was the
Varnum Inn, built in 1820 by Phineas Varnum
- In addition to being an inn, the property
also housed a blacksmith's shop, log cabins, a water
trough and a water pump
- The Varnum Inn became the town meeting
place and a popular trading spot for the local Indians
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- In 1836, the Varnum Inn is sold to Fred
Gaukel, who enlarges the Inn and renames it Gaukel's
hotel
- the Inn is resold a couple of more times,
and the named changed to the Great Western Hotel and
the Commercial Inn
- In 1886, the Commercial Inn is sold
to Curry Walper, but is destroyed by fire in 1892
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THE
BIRTH OF THE WALPER HOTEL 1893-1935 |
- In 1893, Abel Walper built a 4 story
high class hotel with a tower for $75,000
- The Walper Hotel was sold in 1908 to
Joseph Zuber
- $4.50 a week offered the guest a room,
meals and a maid to fill the water pitcher
- All guestrooms were lit by gas jet,
only 2 rooms had private baths, and there was only one
telephone in the lobby
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- In 1925, the hotel went under many changes
including the addition of the Crystal Ballroom, two floors
of rooms, the men's beverage room and a formal dining
room
- All guestrooms had carpet installed,
running water was added, baths and showers, and telephones
were installed
- Roast beef and apple pie were customer
favorites
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AS
TIME WENT BY 1935-1971 |
- In 1935 Joseph Zuber dies and his son
Joseph Zuber II takes over the hotel
- In 1952 Joseph Zuber III graduated school
with a degree in Hotel Administration and joined the
family business
- Once again the hotel made additional
changes including the conversion of the men's beverage
room to the popular Hofbrau Haus
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- During the Zuber years, Chef Edward
Ruppe joined the hotel team and elevated the dining experience
to new levels
- Ruppe stayed with the hotel for 48 years,
and the hotel was named as one of Canada's top eating
establishments by McLeans Magazine in 1969
- In 1971, the hotel was sold to Zubers
daughters
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1973
TO THE PRESENT |
- Zuber's daughters sold the hotel and
subsequently the hotel once again changed ownership a
couple of more times
- On October 18th, 1979, the Walper Hotel
closed its doors and it furnishings were sold to the
general public
- The hotel sat empty for 3 years until
it was rescued by Fred Lafontaine
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- Fred Lafontaine began restoring the
hotel back to its grandeur style of the 19th century
- The hotel was again sold in 1992 to
its current owners, and continues to remain privately
owned
- Today many of the original features
have been restored back, and the building has been designated
as a historical landmark
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