Balch Hotel, architectural structure
The Balch Hotel is a 3-story brick building in the Italianate style located in Dufur, Oregon, constructed in 1907 and opened in 1908. The structure features 18-inch (45 cm) thick brick walls, nineteen bedrooms, shared bathrooms with claw-foot tubs, and private bathrooms in select rooms.
The hotel was constructed in 1907 by Charles P. Balch, a local rancher who sourced bricks from his own land. It thrived in the early 1900s as a stop for railroad salesmen and passed through various owners including the Ingels family starting in 1914.
The hotel takes its name from founder Charles P. Balch and served as a gathering place for traveling salesmen and the local community. Vendors would display goods in the parlor and meet with townspeople, making it a social and commercial hub for the region.
The hotel sits in a rural setting and serves as a good base for exploring the area, including hiking, fishing, and visiting local wineries. Stairs provide access to all floors with no elevator, and rooms lack televisions and phones but offer wireless Internet.
When electricity first arrived in Dufur Valley, only two locations had power: the hotel and a lumber mill, each supplied for just 12 hours daily. The hotel received power at night while the mill operated during the day.
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