Muhlenberg County Kentucky

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Sandusky Hotel

24 May 1878

Mr. W.H. Sandusky, of Caneyville, has purchased the hotel property at Owensboro Junction and gone to work in earnest to renovate it thoroughly, and will on the 1st of June open the hotel for the reception of visitors. Mr. Sandusky is thoroughly experienced in the business, and will do everything in his power to make his guests comfortable and happy during their sojourn with him.

10 March 1897

Central City Fire -- Sandusky Hotel Burned.

The Sandusky hotel at Central City burned to the ground the 1st inst. Every thing in the house except a few traveling men's grips was burned.

The fire was discovered about 8:30 in the kitchen. It had already gotten such a start that nothing could be done to save the building. The house was filled with guests at the time, though but few of them were as yet in their rooms. A Mr. Blow, superintendent of the stove factory, had gone to bed and was already asleep. When he awoke the fire was already getting into his room. He grabbed his trousers and overcoat and jumped through a window and onto the porch froim which he slid to the ground. Miss Alliene Allison was in her room and had barely time to get out. She lost all her clothing except what she had on.

Mrs. Sandusky came near being suffocated while trying to find her daughter, Miss Geneva Sandusky. Mr. E. E. Dallow, superintendent of the Silver Creek mines, rushed to Miss Sandusky's room and found her lost in the smoke. He led her downstairs just in time to save her.

It was not more than five minutes from the time the fire was discovered until the whole house was in flames. The town has waterworks, but on account of the fact that [the] city will not pay the price charged by the company for fire purposes, no water could be used on the fire. This cam near causing the destruction of several other buildings. Treece's barber shop opposite the hotel, was damaged, the front being burned out. The furniture and tools were moved out. It took hard work to save the Sandusky lunch stand and the depot, but they were only slightly damaged. Capt. Sandusky, the proprietor of the hotel, was in Louisville at the time of the fire and the amount of insurance could not be learned.

The hotel was built in 1885, and together with the furnishings cost $15,000. It is not at all probably that it was well insured, as the rate is so high as to make the payment of premiums a burden. It is said that Capt. Sandusky will rebuild as soon as he can make the necessary arrangements.

The guests of the house had a good deal of trouble in getting places to stay during the night. The other places were all full, and they had to go to private houses and sleep wherever they could. The loss of the hotel is a serious blow to the town, as there is not another house in town that does or can care for any great amount of transient trade.

16 August 1900

Sandusky House, Central City, Ky.
General Accommodations of the best. Table supplied with all seasonable fruits, game and vegetables.

9 July 1910

Sandusky Hotel at Central City Sold

Announcement of the sale of the Sandusky hotel at Central City was made last night, Mrs. Sandusky selling the property to Mrs. Lou Miller, Fred McTolf and M.F. Moore, all of Central City, the deal involving $25,000. Mrs. Sandusky had conducted the hotel for the past quarter of a century.

The hotel is one of the best known hostelries in Southwestern Kentucky. The new owners of the property contemplate extensive improvements in both the exterior and interior of the hotel, as well as the surroundings, aiming to make it one of the most attractive hotels in that section of the state.

21 October 1910

Sandusky Hotel at Central City is Burned to Ground Early Today, and Forty Guests Have Close Call

Defective Wiring Believe to Have Caused Fire -- Loss Is $25,000, Insurance $15,000 -- Mrs. Langston Hurt.

Central City, Ky., Oct. 21. - (Special) - Fire completely destroyed the Sandusky hotel early this morning and all that is left of the hotel is a heap of ashes. The fire, it is though, originated from defective electric wiring. The blaze started between the walls, and spread quickly to all parts of the wooden building. Every room was occupied, but the 40 guests escaped without injury, although nearly all lost their baggage.

The fire was discovered this morning about 1:30 o'clock when all the guests were asleep. The blaze popped out, and spread rapidly , but the alarm was given, and all the guests awakened. Mrs. Annie Langston is proprietress, was the only person injured. In the hurry to vacate the building she fell and sustained bruises.

Splendid work on the part of the volunteer firemen prevented a spread of the fire, although the amateua firemen were not equipped with sufficient apparatus to save the building. The Union station was saved, while several restaurants and houses were protected from a heavy shower of sparks.

The Sandusky hotel has been the leading hotel at Central City for years, and is known to thousands of guests. The building that burned last night was only ten years old. It was a large frame building, two stories in heigh, constructed [in] the shape of an “L.” The loss by the fire is estimated at $25,000 with about $15,000 insurance. The hotel was conducted by Mrs. Annie Langston, who lost all the hotel furnishings. The building was owned by Mrs. Lou Miller, Fred McTolf, and M. F. Moore.

The fire started near the dining room on the first floor and ate its way through the entire building. The fire burned for several hours.

21 October 1910

Sandusky House Burns. At Central City, the Loss Being $30,000

Central City, Ky., Oct. 21. - Fire shortly after midnight completely wiped out the Sandusky hote, entailing a loss of about $30,000, and causing about forty guests of the hotel to make a hurried exit from the building, many clad in only the scantiest of attire. There was no one injured in the fire. The insurance on the building was $18,000.

The hotel was recently purchased by Lucien Miller, Fred McTolf and M. F. Moore, of Central City, and was being operated by Mrs. Annie Langston. The hotel had recently been remodeled. The fire originated from a defective flue in the kitchen, but, owing to the lack of fire-fighting apparatus, the entire building was quickly consumed.

22 October 1910

Sandusky Hotel Is Completely Destroyed by Fire This Morning. Loss is $30,000 with only $18,000 Insurance - Forty Guests Make Escape in Scant Attire

Central City, Ky., Oct. 21. - Fire shortly after midnight completely wiped out the Sandusky hotel, entailing a loss of about $30,000, and causing about forty guests of the hotel to make a hurried exit from the building, many clad in only the scantiest of attire. There was no one injured in the fire. The insurance on the building was $18,000.

The hotel was recently purchased by Lucien Miller, Fred McTolf and M.F. Moore, of Central City, and was being operated by Mrs. Annie Langston. The hotel had recently been remodeled. The fire originated from a defective flue in the kitchen, but, owing to the lack of fire-fighting apparatus, the entire building was quickly consumed.

28 October 1910

Central City Hotel Burns. Sandusky House Goes Up In Early Morning Blaze.

Central City, Ky., Oct. 21 - The Sandusky Hotel, the leading hostelry here and one of the best known hotels in this part of the State, was destroyed by fire early this morning, causing a loss of $25,000, with insurance of $15,000. All of the guests escaped with their belongings, and only one person, Miss Annie Lancaster, who had a bad fall in escaping from the flames, was injured.

The fire started in the dining-room of the hotel and is supposed to have been due to the electric light wiring.

The alarm was turned in promptly, but the flames gained such rapid headway that the firemen, assisted by the people of the town were unable to save the building, and turned their attention to preventing the destruction of the surrounding property.

For a time the Illinois Central station and a big plaining mill across the street from the hotel were in danger but they were finally saved. Plate glass windows in a number of nearby buildings were cracked by the intense heat.

This was the fourth hotel that has been burned on the site, and the present owners of the property who purchased it from the Sandusky estate, will rebuild at once, putting up a brick building.

Updated April 6, 2024.

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