#18. The Windsor Hotel

In 1874 a group of businessmen decided that a new and more elegant hotel needed to be built for the growing town of Del Norte.  A joint stock company was organized and construction was started.  Henry Foote, a “capitalist” from Kansas arrived to help build the “brick hotel”.  The Grand Opening was a calico ball on February 22, 1875, with Jacob Scarff and Captain Walker as the proprietors.

The original name was the Whitsett House.  Over the years, it has been known as The Windsor, the Cuenin House, Spanish Trail Inn, Hotel West, El Rio, and the Old West Hotel.  The Allam family and Ben Prosch were long time owners and managers of the hotel and added a great deal to the history.  Ben and Julia Allam Prosch were well-known and loved in the community for years.

The Windsor Hotel is currently operating as a hotel and dining room, with conference rooms and a patio where many events are held.