Wildwood Hotel & Silver Spur Saloon

In House: Internet, Laundry Mat, Bar, cafe, hair salon & liquor store. Rooms w / Sat. TV. Our goal is to make you feel like this is your home away from home!

History of Wildwood Hotel

Wildwoods first Hotel was built by a Nels Hanson as early as 1907. His wife Marie and children helped him run the hotel along with the help of Hilda Oberg. At the time, the kitchen and dining room were on the east end of the hotel, then there was the lobby and the family occupied the west end of the hotel. Remembered children are Mary and Vern. There were only four rooms to rent upstairs.
It began on lots 5 and 6, then Mr. Hanson sold the property in 1914 to Herman Johnson who rented it to Walter and Jeanette Williamson first and also Walter`s mother Julia ran the hotel for a number of years. Jeanette also took in boarders and provided meals as well and Julia did likewise.
Though legal transfers were not completed we know that a Mr. Yokella or Jockler owned the hotel in the early twenties, then he sold to Billy Clark who in turn sold it to Mr. Carl E. Erickson. While it was owned by Mr. Erickson the hotel was raised and a basement dug by two horses and a slip. His wife owned lots 7 and 8 and lot 9 was purchased by Mr. Erickson. They built and extension on the hotel to live in and they began the first beer parlour in our area located at the west end of the hotel because Alberta voted `wet` in 1923.
The Halats came in 1926 and purchased the hotel and all five lots. Their company was called the Junkins Hotel Company Ltd. , and the hotel became known as the Junkins Hotel. Some interesting land transactions took place about that time. In 1926, the Halat`s bought lots 5 to 9 inclusive, but only 5 to 8 showed on their title, then in 1933 McKernan`s Ltd. , purchased them and then resold to Halat`s company but only lots 5 to 7. Lots 8 and 9 remained in Mrs. Annie Halats name until 1947.
The Halats left wildwood in 1934 and leased it to a Mr. Trudo who continued to manage it after Leo Gudmunson purchased it in 1934. Mr. Gudmunson had the hotel renovated externally and internally in 1935, then took over the management. The Bar was moved to the east end, a kitchen and dining room was on the west end, and after he built his home on lots 3 and 4 which he purchased from Swan Swanson and Joanna Boone, he then had about ten or twelve rooms to rent out. With larger lobby, this was utilized as a barber shop and Jack Maxwell and Lyle JOrdon were the operators. Lyle came here with Jack Rogers.
Gudmunsen sold lots 5 to 7 to John `Cyril` Dawson in 1937, then in 1939 the Dawson`s also bought the house on lots 3 and 4. In 1947 when Max Matuishyk purchased the properties it was then discovered that lots 8 and 9 had got lost in these transactions so three titles were all issued May 28, 1947 to Annie Halat, John C. Dawson and Max.
Almost 5 years later Max sold out to the Golden West Hotel Ltd. , the company Wally Zabiela and his father owned. Wally went to a lot of expense to renovate the interior of the main floor but we lost the original hotel in 1958. Wally rebuilt the hotel the same year and sold it to Albert and Margaret Walker in 1967. They converted the northwest corner of the second floor into an apartment for themselves and their sons, Louis and Benny.
The hotel changed hands many times since Mr. Walkers death in 1971, to name a few Ed Holosney, Anne Rowell, Wood Hotel Ltd. , (Everett Llyod) and owned by the Margiotta brothers, Peter and Tony, and Leo Shostak.
Who remembers when ladies parlours were opened and men could only go in that section if they were accompanied by a lady? The beer parlours were nickname dimestore for you could buy a 10oz glass of beer for only a dime. Wow!
The first public restaurant was opened in 1935, and the Gudmundson`s ran it themsleves for a couple of years then they rented it out to Joseph and Anna Johnston, Rogers parents and then Ted Dawson just for a little while. The Durbins, Ma and Pa were the next ones to run the restaurant. Fern Clarke was one of their waitresses, as was Christina McDermid. They were there until 1947 when they left the area. AT the time Christina and her sister, Lena, took it over and one of their employees was Ann Vikstrom.
Just how long each of these restaurants operatores were in the cafe we really don`t know. We know the following people had it: Mrs. Wanda Schultz and daughter Audrey, her daughter worked as a waitress, John and bill Stewart, Clara an WArd Borst, Nita and Hank Kadatz, Rose and Dave Headon, Ellen Brownlee, Helen MOnty, Bing Foon Choy, Mrs. Zaddery, Mrs. Lena Kenzler, Charlotte Steinwandt, and Marion Madden. This takes us up to the early Seventies when the Walkers owned the hotel. Since then there have been many operators, sometimes trying to run it for a second time . Everett and sis Lloyd, Ann Szutiak and Wilda Gilroy, Jim and Nettie Prokopetz, Anne Rowell, C. N. Credit union, Cam and HOng Hrynk, Dave and Cho and lastly Peter Margiotta.
Names of some of the cooks and waitresses are Ruth Gronlund, Eva Korneman, Elsie Schaning, Sally Parnell, Gladys Bingham, Donna Gates, Lonna Hill, Mary Kichton, Annie Myschuk, Katie Myschuk, Edna Gates, Violet Wetherell, Lina Jackson, Florence Borst, Peggy Boyer, Nancy Nikolayuk, Shirley Klingbeil, Betty Kirk, Evelyn Hill, Ida Sauers, Stephen HIll, Delores Cooley, Dorothy Parnell, Doris Ahlskog, Patsy Willett, Thelma Anderson, Mrs. Bakkie and her daughter Ellen, Thelma Paulson, Ginny Paulson, Marie Hanson, Mary Beauchamp, Peggy Zatorski, Vera Davis, Margaret Paulson, Mary Anderson, Betty Youngman, Audree Paulson, Nona Jendrick, Nancy and Mary Woytowich.
From 1974 - 2010 History:
1974 the hotel was owned by Ed and Vicky HOlosney. Bar staff, first woman to work in a bar was Marian Madden and Gladys Monty. Their first bar maid job as well.
Next owners were Everett and sis Lloyd, who then sold to Jim and Nettie Prokopetz. Later sold to Anne Rowell, then back to Jim and Nettie Prokopetz.
In 1983 Leo Shostak and two brothers, Tony and Peter Margiotta bought the hotel and 3 years later Leo bought out the brothers making him sole owner in 1986, with Gladys Monty as manager.
In 1991 Leo built an addition to the west of the Hotel, this included the Liquor store and laundromat plus 7 new light-house keeping rooms.