By Jessica Gorman

In a 1907 article, Mrs. C.P. Chaffe shares a history of the early hotels that operated in Minden. Mrs. Chaffe was Jennie Taylor Chaffe, daughter of Mrs. Jacqueline Taylor, hotel owner. 

The first hotel, and the first building built on what is historically known as the parallelogram, was the Rock Hotel built by Minden’s founder, Charles Veeder. It was located between Main and Broadway at Union Street. It faced Union. The first floor of the hotel was built of rock blocks. The second floor was “built on the old style of morticing and pegging the timbers together.” The hotel was managed by Sanders P. Day. A second hotel was opened in conjunction with this one. It was located just “above” or further up Main Street from the Rock Hotel and was operated under the same management. According to Mrs. Chaffe, students attending school in Minden would stay in this hotel.

Next, was the City Hotel, referred to as the Minden Hotel in advertisements. It was established by Jennie Chaffe’s father-in-law, Christopher Chaffe and also served as the Chaffe family home for a period of time. Mr. Chaffe was a native of England. He operated the hotel, stagecoach line, and several other businesses. The City Hotel was located on the site currently occupied by Moss Eye Care. 

After Mr. Chaffe moved his family to a home across the street, the hotel changed hands several times. It became the Reynolds hotel under the ownership of Mr. A.J. Reynolds. Then, the Taylor Hotel when it was run by Mrs. Jacqueline Taylor. It then passed into the hands of P.H. McCrary and in 1907, was being run by Mack Oliver. At the time, it was the oldest hotel in operation in Minden.

Mrs. Jacqueline Taylor moved her establishment from the City Hotel across town to the former home of Col. John L. Lewis. Col. Lewis died in 1871. The home became a hotel in 1875, being run at different times by Mrs. L.Q.C. Puckette, George Adams, Tom Carter, Tandy Webb, and Mrs. R.B. Murph before it was purchased by Clarence Chaffe, son of Christopher Chaffe and son-in-law of Mrs. Taylor. This hotel was located across the street from Jacqueline Park, so named for Mrs. Taylor, who was “lovingly known by every traveler of the great Southwest as ‘Aunt Jack.’”

Tandy Webb had also operated his hotel at this location. A lawsuit was filed by Mr. Webb against F.H. Drake. Mr. Webb asserted that the merchants of Minden had conspired against him to ruin his business by refusing to do business with any traveling salesman, known as “drummers,” who stayed at his hotel. After he was forced to close, Mr. Webb took his case to the courts seeking a total of $30,000 in damages for “destruction of business,” “humiliation of himself and wife,” and “punitory damages.” The case was heard by the Supreme of Louisiana, who decided in Mr. Webb’s favor, and was reported in newspapers across the country.

In 1899, the Minden Hotel opened in the former home of Mr. John Chaffe, possibly the same home where an attempt was made on Mr. Chaffe’s life. In 1907, it was under the management of Mrs. Stewart. It was located at the corner of Main and Pine streets, facing Main, on the site currently occupied by the Johnson Law Firm and b1 Bank. In 1930, that corner lot was sold to Standard Oil for construction of a service station. The hotel was moved to the back of the property and turned to face Pine Street. 

Mrs. Chaffe concluded her article with these words. “These three hotels in the course of these years, what stories they could tell of comedy, of tragedy, or marriage, of birth, of death. Many a distinguished guest has slept beneath their roofs; governors, senators, civil and military officials have cracked many jokes, laughed and sighed, eaten their fill, and ridden away to pleasures and duties all the happier for their hours in delightful Minden.”

(Jessica Gorman is the Executive Director for the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Webster Parish Historian, and an avid genealogist.)