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Burr Oak was settled in 1850, and the hotel built in 1851. At that time, Burr Oak was a major crossroads of pioneer travel, with as many as 200 pioneer wagons passing through town each day. Groves of Burr Oak trees surrounded the town. Silver Creek crossed the main road to the north of the village. Many structures were built of brick and lined both sides of the street.
William and Mary Steadman, from Walnut Grove, Minnesota, purchased the hotel from William Masters in October 1876. The Steadmans paid $2,000 for the hotel.
‘Our hotel was built on a side hill,’ Laura wrote. ‘A door from the main street opened into the bar-room, then across the hall was the parlor, also with a street door.’ (Pioneer Girl, Laura’s unpublished manuscript)
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