298 - Wamduska Hotel

In the late 1880s, the railroad was often the lifeline for young towns on the Northern Plains. Communities depended on it, not only as a means of transportation, but because of the hub of activity that typically blossomed around its stops. So when the word on the street was that the Great Northern Railway would extend their line from Larimore, North Dakota, past the pioneer Stump Lake communities of Wamduska and Harrisburg before moving on to Devils Lake, folks got a little excited.

The Wamduska Hotel was built on the shores of Stump Lake, fueled by the anticipation of the railroad. The three-story, L-shaped building was magnificent, built from bricks made from the clay of the lake shore. The focal point of the lobby was the striking spiral staircase, though the ballroom was pretty spectacular as well.

In July 1882, just as the Wamduska was preparing for its grand opening, word reached Stump Lake that the plans for developing the railroad through Harrisburg and Wamduska had fallen through. The route was moved roughly ten miles to the north, through Petersburg, Michigan, and Lakota. This decision would be devastating for the future of the hotel. Town founders and businessmen then packed up and moved their businesses, buildings and all, to Lakota.

The Wamduska Hotel remained. After hosting the lavish grand opening soiree, it became a hunting lodge for wealthy tycoons and sportsmen throughout the region, lured in to hunt ducks and geese. It also became a prominent retreat for politicians, some who gave speeches just down the hill from the hotel. This continued until the 1920s when the lodge closed. By this time, the waters of Stump Lake had receded rapidly, moving the shoreline further from the hotel. The hotel was sold and fell into disrepair during the Great Depression. Not only that, its front porch, with its sweeping views of the lake, had been boarded up and used as a cattle pen. A far cry from the glitz and glam of it beginning.

The Geritz family bought the property in 1942, and while it has undergone some changes, the two-story home shares some resemblances of the hotel it once was. The history lives on though and can be experienced here, at the museum in Lakota, where you can view the original registry and see a piece of the brick made on the shores of the lake. If you want more of the rich history of the Wamduska Hotel, peruse the map and book located in the museum collection.