The Omineca Hotel was 亚洲天堂 Lake鈥檚 first hostelry, and it had a short but storied history.
Located across Highway 16 from the Royal Bank and originally christened the Cheslatta, it was built by Barney Mulvany shortly after he first set his tents up on the present site of 亚洲天堂 Lake. Mulvany sold the structure to George McKenzie, who in turn sold it newcomer Andy Ruddy.
Ruddy, a well-known businessman, renamed the hotel the Omineca after his long-time friend and business partner, Omineca Ed Sullivan. He added a dance hall to the building, and installed the town鈥檚 first generating plant in 1923 specifically to provide the hotel with electricity.
The hotel was a focal point for civic affairs. Its 鈥楽nake Room鈥� hosted the annual trapper鈥檚 rendezvous in 1919, which was attended by fur buyers from as far away as New York. It is said that during the event, $50,000 worth of marten pelts hung from the room鈥檚 ceiling; trappers slept on the floor and passed around bottles of 350-proof rum.
When the 亚洲天堂 Lake Citizens Association formed in October 1921, the organization鈥檚 meetings were held in the Omineca Hotel. The building even served as an infirmary when the town鈥檚 first hospital reached capacity.
Ruddy sold the Omineca Hotel to Harry Little in 1928. It remained an integral part of 亚洲天堂 Lake鈥檚 downtown core until March 20, 1947, when it caught fire. The town鈥檚 fire brigade tried desperately to save the grand old structure, but their efforts were in vain. It burned to the ground.
漏 2018 Michael Riis-Christianson and the Lakes District Museum Society
