The Drake Hotel is one of Carthage's greatest examples of community determination. After years of discussion, more than 200 local citizens invested in a new hotel that would reflect the city's optimism and growing prosperity. 

 

Named for Albert Drake, one of Carthage's earliest businessmen and a tireless advocate for the project, the hotel honored a man who spent decades helping build the community.  Drake worked tirelessly to recruit investors, and his name became permanently linked to one of Carthage's most recognizable landmarks.

 

Construction began in 1920 and faced repeated delays caused by rising material costs and funding shortages.  Despite the challenges, the elegant four-story hotel opened on February 20, 1922.  Thousands of people toured the new hotel during its grand opening, far more than could attend the evening celebration.  Guests danced until dawn to the music of a Kansas City orchestra, while vaudeville performers entertained the crowd.

 

With 100 guest rooms, a grand two-story lobby, banquet facilities, shops, and a rooftop garden, the Drake quickly became Carthage's premier hotel.  Rooms rented for $1.50 to $2.50 per night, and its restaurant became a favorite gathering place for both travelers and local residents.  By the 1940s and 1950s, the Drake's famous $1 Sunday chicken dinners attracted diners from across the region.

 

Although the hotel eventually closed, the community once again came together to save this treasured landmark.  Restored in 2006 as apartments, the Drake continues to stand as a symbol of Carthage's resilience, preservation, and community pride.

 

FUN FACT:  In January 1921, superintendent W. J. Detweiler was humorously voted the "ugliest man in Carthage" at a community pie supper fundraiser and was awarded a lemon pie!