The Landon Hotel was a busy place in 1909 San Angelo. Pedestrians, horses, buggies early cars cause traffic jam as trolley unloads passengers.

The hotel began as a glorious two-story hotel in 1881, owned by the son of Carl Nimitz, who owned the Nimitz Hotel in Fredericksburg. It was obliterated by fire in 1883 in a murder cover-up, according to Standard-Times archives. The cook killed his kitchen helper and set a fire to cover up the murder. This was the beginning of a long history of tragedies to plague the property. Burned and rebuilt many times, the hotel has been known by several names including the Landon Hotel, the Naylor Hotel and the Town House.

After it first burned, the property was bought two years later by James C. and Rosa Landon. Together, they created a  place that was two stories of native sandstone, filled with all the luxuries of the time. a San Angelo luxury hotel that thrived for seven years until August 11, 1902 when a fire again destroyed the building. Eight people perished in the fire when the balcony collapsed in front of horrified onlookers. Rosa Landon was among those known to have died when the balcony collapsed into the fire along with B. Hendrick, a commercial traveler from Waco, Mrs. Frank Schlepinsky and two children from Houston and Mrs. Fowler and a grandchild from Houston.

The property was rebuilt as a three-story hotel, but according to some was plagued by cries from the spirits of people who had died in the fires.

In 1925 another fire demolished the building and it was rebuilt in the 1930's as the six story Nadler Hotel.

After having been burned and rebuilt multiple times the city shut it down in1983 when it was called the Town House because it could not meet city fire codes. Business owners and patrons of nearby shops have said they can still hear cries in the night from the hotel, and people have seen a woman cradling a baby in a second story window.

Resources:

West Texas History & Memories

Early Life in Texas County by County

Books about Texas People and Places

Amazing People from Texas County by County