The historic and operating Wolf Hotel in Kansas and its underground tunnels during prohibition

Historic Wolf Hotel in Ellinwood, Kansas.Photo byJcushman1998, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Wolf Hotel is at 1 North Main Street in Ellinwood, Kansas (Barton County). On November 7, 2002, this historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

This hotel was constructed in 1894. The architect was S.S. Voight and the architectural style featured is Italianate.

Like so many towns, Ellinwood had its growth when the railroad came through and in this city's case, it was the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. Ellinwood is in the southeast corner of Barton County and according to World Population Review, the population of Ellinwood is 1,934.

One notable person from Ellinwood was Wally Joseph Hickel (1919-2010). He was the 2nd governor of Alaska and later the 38th U.S. Secretary of the Interior during Richard Nixon's presidency.

Photo byGoogle Maps screenshot.

About the hotel

In 1894, the Wolf Hotel was built by John Wolf as an addition to the Delmonico Hotel. The Wolf Hotel consisted of the Bank of Ellinwood, 15 rooms, and underground stores. Wolf also owned other buildings on Main Street.

In the downstairs of the hotel was an underground tunnel system. This system is said to have run through Ellinwood. Interestingly, the tunnels can be toured today.

Venues like the Drummer’s Room and Joe’s Snack Counter were in the tunnel system. Back in the day, visiting salesmen displayed their merchandise in the Drummer’s Room. These underground rooms would change through the decades with other places like a library, and bar and cards room.

The Wolf Hotel was eventually restored and continues to provide lodging. It also has a restored restaurant that serves as an event venue and people meet there to begin their tour of the underground tunnels. What used to be the Delmonico Hotel is now a parking lot.

Photo byThe historic Wolf Hotel and Events Center via Facebook.

This happened to the Bank of Ellinwood in 1908

The Bank of Ellinwood was in the west portion of the hotel building. On January 20, 1908, the bank experienced something newsworthy for the community.

The deputy bank examiner for the State of Kansas completed his review of the bank’s statements and closed the bank early that day. On the following day, bank cashier, W. Leo Bockemohle, was arrested.

The Bockemohle family were pioneers of Ellinwood and were well-known and respected in town. They also owned the bank until they didn't.

Two days after the bank closed, the town’s people, and John Wolf and his son, Fred Wolf, came together and pledged money to start a new bank. The new bank would was to be owned by businessmen and area farmers.

Two days later, W. Leo Bockemohle committed suicide. He was only 37. His brother and bank president, Ed Bockemohle, was indicted and convicted for falsifying bank statements.

Two months later, the Peoples State Bank opened its doors for business where the Bank of Ellinwood used to be. This new bank was owned by its investors.

Wolf family success

Also in 1908, the Wolf Milling Company was established. It was operated by John Wolf and his son, Fred. This was a successful mill and a significant employer in Ellinwood. The flour brand, Wolf’s Premium, was even sold internationally.

In 1924, Fred Wolf added the Sunflower Dining Room to the Wolf Hotel. He spared no expense in designing the room. It included terrazzo floors, distinctive chandeliers, and beautifully decorated tables. Also, something new was an outdoor patio.

The restaurant became a popular venue for social events. Below the restaurant, there was the Sunflower Sample Room where people could go and sample certain goods during Prohibition.

In 1972, the last room was rented by the Wolf Hotel. In two days, it would have celebrated its 80th anniversary.

In 2013, the historic Wolf Hotel building was sold. It had been operating as an antique store. The new owner planned on restoring the building to its former grandeur.

Today, the hotel and the Sunflower Dining Room are restored and open. It’s also an event center and tourist attraction for the underground tunnels (by appointment only). Visit here to learn how you can help save the historic tunnels.

The Wolf family

John Wolf came to Barton County in 1877 from Ohio. He was born on November 23, 1848 in Bremen, Germany. He and Kate Haas married in Ohio on July 5, 1871. Their son, Fred, was born there in 1872.

On July 1, 1901, Fred married Lotta Schaefer from Kansas City, Missouri.

John Wolf owned a considerable amount of property in Ellinwood and Great Bend. This family was well-known in the county. They were progressive thinkers and very successful.

John Johann Wolf died on October 1, 1939, at age 67. His wife, Margaret Katherine “Katie” Haas Wolf, died on June 21, 1921, at age 75. Their son, Frederich Martin “Fred” Wolf, died on October 1, 1939, at age 67. They also had a daughter, Catherine "Katie" Wolf Heim, who died in 1951 at age 73-74.

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