Clayton's Place

Cars roll by along US 56/64/412 heading west from a journey across the panhandle of Oklahoma. The sun begins to yawn and its infectious spirit slowly beams into the driver's body. Hands clench the wheels, eyelids roll up and down like curtains at a local matinee. The wheels stop for the light and then scrape the asphalt until the vehicle stops by a three-story rock structure on the right.

Welcome to the Hotel Eklund.

Foot steps creak inside as the sounds of the guest get louder. After checking in, the guest quietly sneaks up the wooden stairs, which aim at an inverted 90-degree angle. Thoughts of the unknown battle the elements of fatigue.

The key gently unlocks the door, the handle rotates, and the air rushes out.

The body hits the queen size bed like a brick. After a nap it is time to head downstairs to the Eklund Saloon. (though you have your choice of the saloon, dining room or patio and beergarden)

 

James Stewart from Winchester 73' comes out of you and orders an ice cold Original Coors while sitting back and appreciating the history.

Hotel Eklund was born during the end of Benjamin Harrison's presidency, an era known as the Gilded Age when Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller were making their presence known. It began as a three-story rock building in 1892 (the west side of the present buildings), according to the city of Clayton, NM website. The ground floor was occupied as a store with rooms for rent until 1894 when Carl Eklund brought in his carved bar, which is still in use in the saloon. Mr. Eklund and his wife, Gerda, purchased the property in December 1897, and the east two stories were built in 1898 to include the hotel lobby, the dining room, and saloon. They added the third floor and the "opera balcony" or porch in 1905. The Eklunds, according to the city, kept the hotel as modern as possible with the addition of plumbing, steam heat, electricity, and telephones, as they became available.

"The Eklund was the only first-class hotel between Trinidad, Colorado and Fort Worth, Texas for many years, and has long had a reputation for good food and drink." In 1975, the dining room was renovated with flocked wallpaper from that era as well as the bench seating, which was created using some of the old headboards from the original beds. In 1992, the Eklund Hotel’s centennial, the establishment was purchased by the Eklund Association, Incorporated, "for the purpose of preserving the Eklund for the town and for the future." The dining room and saloon continued to be in use, but the hotel closed in 1975 because it did not meet modern hotel standards.

In 2004, the hotel was renovated and the 42 existing rooms were converted into 26 rooms, each with their own bath. Extensive work was also done on the hotel lobby and the saloon at that time. The Eklund closed in 2009 and was put up for sale. After a two year hiatus, the hotel is now under new ownership.

After the beer it is time to head back upstairs and enjoy the sunset before fading into the daily drive down memory lane.

Source:
City of Clayton, NM (Clayton, NM - Hotel Eklund)