This is the 4th in a series of articles for the 175th anniversary of Bonham.
Bonham, Texas -- The beautiful Alexander Hotel was begun in 1888 and completed in 1889. This impressive building stood on the southeast corner of the Bonham Square for over three-quarters of a century.
It was operated as a hotel for 75 years before closing its doors in 1963. In its "heyday" the Alexander was regarded as the finest hotel in this part of the state, featuring 42 large rooms. In addition to 42 rooms and two suites, the hotel also contained a barbershop, coffee shop, dining room, a ballroom and a hotel bar. The ballroom was the scene of many a cotillion, private dinner, and recital performance. The hotel had stained glass windows in the arched windows on the top floor and featured beautiful hand carved staircases.
At one time this magnificent hotel was the center of the social world in Fannin County. When theatrical companies visited Bonham, they stayed at the Alexander Hotel. Carrie Nation, the symbol of womanhood and temperance, visited Bonham in 1905 and after her rousing opera house talk, she retired to the hotel. In 1913 Al Jolson also stayed at the Alexander when he appeared at Bonham's Steger Opera House. The great orator, William Jennings Bryan, also spent the night at the Alexander Hotel.
The main entrance to the hotel was on 4th Street (Sam Rayburn Drive) but the side entrance on Center was also used. For some reason the sign over the side entrance said “Alexandria Hotel.” No one knows why.
Mr. and Mrs. E. F. White, the parents of Mrs. Rex (Elizabeth) Hendrix, managed the hotel for about 35 years. They moved from their home in the Russell Heights area about 1925 to an apartment on the third floor. Mrs. Hendrix has told the story of them "sitting on the balcony overlooking 4th Street, looking down at the courthouse square at the early cars and horse drawn vehicles that traveled the street below."
Around 1920 the hotel lobby and entrance were moved to the east side of the building and the ground floor was remodeled to accommodate several retail establishments including F.W. Woolworth which occupied the largest of these spaces.
After time caught up with this major social center of North Texas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was structurally condemned, after failing to pass modern fire codes. With the all-wood interior declared a fire hazard and uninhabitable under the fire code, the upper floors were turned over to pigeons, which raised several generations of families in the hotel's sinks and bathtubs.
The top two floors were removed in May of 1975. At that time the main floor was totally remodeled into new offices. The Alexander Hotel's colorful 87-year-old history was over.
The Fannin County Museum of History has many beautiful historic fashions which would have been worn to events in the hotel, such as the hats shown below. Stop by the Museum to see these items.
