Original article
In September 1915 then ND Governor Louis Benjamin Hanna, a successful businessman from the Red River Valley with interests in lumber, grain and banking, acquired the InterOcean Hotel and renamed it the Lewis and Clark Hotel. In 1917, the original structure was demolished and replaced with the new Lewis and Clark Hotel at a cost of $200,000 ($4.2 million in 2009 dollars). The new hotel originally touted a frontage of 150 feet by 130 feet long. The four story high building is constructed of pressed brick, with white enamel ornamental trimmings. Mr. Hanna initially leased the hotel to Keller & Boyd, who also operated the Waldorf Hotel in Fargo at the time.Newspaper accounts touted the new structure as "The Pride of Mandan" and authors credited it "architecturally as one of the most beautiful hotels in the Northwest." It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.The building was designed by William J. Gage who was born in New York City and studied architecture at the University of Illinois. He began his career with the firm of Long, Lamoreaux and Long of Minneapolis in 1911 but joined Ellerbe and Round of St. Paul from 1912-1913. After moving to Fargo in 1913, Gage drafted for Haxby and Gillespie until 1915 when he and his partner Archie Ashelman began their firm there. Around 1919, Gage moved to Seattle and eventually to California in 1921. Another featured work, the Beverly Hills, CA City Hall also remains in active use today.In January 1930, a fire consumed the rear of the structure. Fargo architect W. E. Kurke coordinated the repair and expansion of that part of the building to three stories featuring 10 apartments and 10 additional hotel rooms in 1935. The cost of the project was $18,000 ($230,000 in 2009 dollars).
In its earliest days, the building tenants included the Merchants National Bank. Today, several business offices reside on the ground floor of the building. The former Billards Room is now home to a community church.In July 1985, Ben and Dan Hanna sold the building to Lewis and Clark Investments, Inc. whose major stockholders include William Clairmont of Bismarck and Wallace Joersz and Dan Hanna of Mandan. Leveraging a $975,000 MIDA bond finance package, the 67 hotel rooms were converted to 45 one- and two-bedroom rent subsidied apartments. The lobby was later remodeled and the back meeting rooms with sky lights once again made available for public use.
Copy-edited article
In September 1915, North Dakota Governor Louis Benjamin Hanna, a successful Red River Valley businessman with interests in lumber, grain, and banking, acquired the Inter-Ocean Hotel and renamed it the Lewis and Clark Hotel. The original structure was demolished in 1917 and replaced by a new hotel costing $200,000 (about $5,026,000 in 2025 dollars).
The four-story pressed-brick building measured 150 by 130 feet and featured white enameled ornament. Hanna initially leased it to Keller & Boyd, which also operated Fargo's Waldorf Hotel. Newspapers called the structure "The Pride of Mandan" and "architecturally one of the most beautiful hotels in the Northwest." It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Architect William J. Gage, born in New York City, studied at the University of Illinois. He worked for Long, Lamoreaux and Long of Minneapolis in 1911 and Ellerbe and Round of St. Paul from 1912 to 1913. After moving to Fargo in 1913, he drafted for Haxby and Gillespie before forming a partnership with Archie Ashelman in 1915. Gage moved to Seattle around 1919 and California in 1921. His surviving work also includes Beverly Hills City Hall.
A January 1930 fire damaged the rear of the hotel. Fargo architect W. E. Kurke coordinated a 1935 repair and three-story expansion that added 10 apartments and 10 hotel rooms. The project cost $18,000 (about $423,000 in 2025 dollars).
Early tenants included Merchants National Bank. Business offices later occupied the ground floor, and a community church moved into the former billiards room.
In July 1985, Ben and Dan Hanna sold the building to Lewis and Clark Investments, Inc. Its major stockholders included William Clairmont of Bismarck, Wallace Joersz, and Dan Hanna of Mandan. Using a $975,000 MIDA bond package, the company converted 67 hotel rooms into 45 rent-subsidized one- and two-bedroom apartments. The lobby was later remodeled, and rear meeting rooms with skylights reopened for public use.