Historic Anderson House shuts down
Posted on March 23rd, 2009 – 10:50 AMBy Kerri Westenberg
First comes a deep sigh. Then, “We are sad to say that due to the bad economics that are going on, the Historic Anderson House has had to close its doors.” So says the recorded message at the telephone number of the Wabasha hotel, known for its abundance of cats. Built in 1856, it had been the oldest operating B&B in the state until it closed recently.
I only stayed at the Wabasha hotel once, but it was, as they say, a night to remember.
I’d fled from a hearby loud rental house squeezed between a working railroad track and a busy street, knocked on the locked door of the Historic Anderson House and was delighted when the front desk clerk, who was closing down for the night, welcomed me in. She suggested I stay on the second floor — people checking for ghosts occupied the top floor– and offered a cat to keep me company. I wasn’t visited by apparitions, but the plump cat did its part to interrupt my sleep; she wanted to sleep on my head. I viewed this as a sign of affection and found it sweet rather than annoying.
I’ll hold fast to the final sentence of the recorded message: “Hopefully one day you will be able to come back again.”
16 Responses to "Historic Anderson House shuts down"
I am very saddened to hear of the closing. I’ve only stayed there once, but the stay was very enjoyable. My mom & dad had came from Colorado to visit and we stayed overnight there. The employees were very nice and the food was delicious. My mom & dad still talk about the food and looking forward to going back for some more of that homemade pie.
We’ve stayed there quite a few times and eaten there even more times and enjoyed it. We haven’t eaten there much lately; the food seems to have gone downhill.
Oh, that’s sad. We spent many a 4th of July in Wabasha watching the parade and staying at Anderson House. The ride from the TC’s to Wabasha on Hwy. 61 is one of the most beautiful in the state.
We will miss it!
the food and service were very bad the last 5-6 years, and while the building was terrific–it di dnot desrve to make it.
They certainly could have used some renovation as well. Sweet place but a toucan from Mexico hanging in the restaurant just didn’t fit the decor IMO.
While it’s sad to see any business close, the restaurant was a step up from Perkins, the service was slow, and the hotel had become dingy.
Wabasha’s a lovely little town; the National Eagle Center is worth a visit, and Bridgewater’s B&B, a block away from the Anderson, is spanking clean, beautifully restored, and the owners turn out an amazing breakfast. A great value.
It’s sad to learn that it is closed and that the place may have gone downhill. We stayed there with our kids about 12 years ago after reading the very charming children’s book, “Blumpoe the Grumpoe Meets Arnold the Cat.” It’s about grumpy old guy who stays at the Anderson House who undergoes a remarkable personality change thanks to the influence of a very loving cat. When we checked in we let the kids pick out the cat that was going to stay in our room — and found out later they had actually had chosen Arnold! It was just a one-night stay, but the kids still remember it. I hope others have equally good memories of the Anderson House.
Oh, that’s too bad. We stayed with our three daughters, who got to stay in the Three Bears room. One bed was big, one was little, and the other one was juuuustt riiiiggghhhhtttt. Kerri please find out where the cats have gone. We loved them, too. And the big cookies…..
Too bad it had to close. Like some others have said service had gone down hill dramatically. It was on the market, but they were asking waaayyy too much money, most likely a sign that the current owners paid to0 much for it.
It will be interesting to see what happens and if the current owners are just defaulting on the loan..
We have stayed there on many occassions and have eaten there many times. The current owners have done a great job at the Anderson House - the rooms are a hundred times better than they were with the previous owner and we have always had a great meal since they took over (especially love their Double Dutch fudge pie, chicken noodle soup, and fresh roles). The food was alwasy “home made” and served at the propper temperatures. My family will be greatly disappointed to hear this news.
Yes I’m sure that the economy played a large part in the closeing but I would also say that service and upkeep played a large part. My wife is from that area and I have ate there many times. The service was a big issue, many times the teenage server was too busy talking to co-workers and others to even serve some of the tables. Complaints made the situation even worse if you spoke up. The quality of food was often not in line with the prices and the hotel was dank and moldy smelling. Locals on both sides of the river have been avoiding the Anderson House for years for the above reasons. A good business can survive an economic downturn those without good product and service fall by the wayside. After my last experience there I am not sorry to see them go.
My Guess: Maybe it is time for some new owners to make a go of it.
Sad to see this historic site go!
I have stayed there many times over the course of many years.
Yes, it was bit funky and the service could range from outstanding to terrible, but it had its unique charm and one could sense the many stories this old place had witnessed.
Wabasha and Minnesota have suffered a quiet but significant historic loss IMO
Could never stay there since I’m allergic to cats, but always looked forward to eating there. The homemade bread was to die for. The place was always busy for both dinner and Sunday brunch, so hard to swallow that they are closed. I will agree the last time I was there, Valentine’s day, the service stunk and the food quality had slipped, and there were signs of trouble, as I overheard the owner tell someone they had laid off all their bartenders. Also, the same people working the night before were working the brunch shift, so they must have been scraping to make it. Very sad. I hope they reopen soon…
Interesting thing is we had looked to purchase this property and decided not to when the Realtor who was selling it turned very rude. Perhaps they may have sold it if they had a person better representing them on their sale. We have since set our sites on other nearby towns. I can only wish them well in their future, This is all very sad.
Stay in a hotel that has had hundreds of cats in residence over the years? No thank you. I can’t believe the State didn’t close this place down years ago for health reasons. It was one gigantic litter box. I know some people think cats are the closest thing to God, but I have a severe allergy to cat and dog dander and couldn’t even enter the lobby of this place.
Kerri Westenberg has globe-trotted for National Geographic and other magazines. Now she zips around the region, on the lookout for travel news you can use.
Elizabeth Larsen lived in Salzburg, Austria, and has traveled throughout Europe and the Americas. She can say "diaper," "bottle" and "crib" in four languages.
Troy Melhus has heli-skied on glaciers, dived alongside Monk seals and raced for 24 hours on a mountain bike. All this, and he rarely spends more than $500 on a trip.
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