Burton – Washington Hotel – Panel 26
Transcript of audio:
Just as the sun sets and the evening air begins to cool. You can hear the final touches of Mrs. Schwendener as she prepares supper for her guests, staying at the Washington hotel. She and her husband emigrated from Sweden, bought the hotel in 1885 and added a second story. The hotel had a total of 19 rooms, a dining room, and a display room for drummers, which was the term for traveling salesmen showing their goods.
As the night settled in, just like clockwork, Mr. Schwendener would make his way outside to light the kerosene lantern that hung at the entrance. He would pause, breathe, the fresh air, pet the family cat while listening for the distant whistle of the final train arriving for the night. As it neared the depot, Mr. Schwendener would take the lantern from its post and make the short walk to the station to greet his guests and help with bags and trunks. The guests would then follow him as he lit the way back to the hotel.
There, Mrs. Schwendener waited to show them their rooms for the night. Each room was just big enough to hold a small bed and a simple wash basin that offered a picture of cool well water to freshen up after the long dusty train ride from Houston. The Washington hotel wasn’t luxurious by today’s standards, but it provided a perfect place to rest and get ready for the next leg of the journey, which typically meant stops at Bastrop, New Braunfels, San Antonio, or Austin.