River Inn is a historic building located in

Fergus Falls, Minnesota Fergus Falls ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Otter Tail County, Minnesota, Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,119 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and was estimated to be 14,258 in 2024. Hi ...

, United States. This was the third of three first-class hotels built in the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

. Completed in 1929, it replaced the Hotel Kaddatz as the city's premier hotel. with It also assured that the Federal Courthouse, located across the street, did not relocate to

Detroit Lakes Detroit Lakes is a city and the county seat of Becker County, Minnesota, Becker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 9,869 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Its unofficial population during summer months is much hi ...

in the 1920s. The River Inn provided accommodations for judges, jurors, lawyers, and court visitors.

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

architect Vernon A. Wright developed the hotel and designed the building. His father was George B. Wright, one of the city's founders. Vernon Wright also co-founded the

Otter Tail Power Company Otter Tail Corporation is an electric power and manufacturing company based in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Its subsidiaries include Otter Tail Power Company, BTD Manufacturing Inc., T.O. Plastics Inc., Northern Pipe Products Inc., and Vinyltech Cor ...

. The four-story brick structure with Indiana limestone trim, features elements of the Medieval Revival style, the only commercial building downtown in that style. It was built by the Lauritzen Construction Company. While owned by Wright until his death in 1938, the hotel was managed by the Roberts Hotel Chain of

Winona, Minnesota Winona ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, Minnesota, United States. Located in bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf (Winona, Minnesota), Sugar Loaf. The population was 2 ...

. The building was extensively renovated after Al C. Kavli acquired the property in 1965, reducing the number of rooms from 96 to 15 and converting the rest into apartments. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1988.

References

Commercial buildings completed in 1929 Fergus Falls, Minnesota Tudor Revival architecture in Minnesota Buildings and structures in Otter Tail County, Minnesota National Register of Historic Places in Otter Tail County, Minnesota Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota {{Minnesota-struct-stub