CENTRAL HOTEL

    Richard B. and Sarah Kee built this hotel on the northeast corner of Texas and Reynosa in the early 1880s.  The family had come to De Leon in 1882 and apparently operated a hotel near the railroad.  In building the Central, they moved “up the hill” which many believed would be the end of their business.  But, their sons John, Charley and Richard met the trains and carried the drummer’s heavy luggage up the hill and the hotel flourished.  Mr. Kee sold the hotel to Bud Faggard apparently when Kee became De Leon’s Post Master in 1890.  He later engaged in the mercantile business and leased the Pittman Hotel for a time before moving to his farm KeeDell north of town.

    The Kee’s also operated a hotel called The Wayside Inn that was on the northwest corner of Gonzales and Austin but stories vary as to whether Wayside preceded or followed their ownership of the Central.  

     Pictured above are Kee family members.

  

THE FAGGARD FAMILY

CHRISTMAS DAY 1899


    On December 25, 1899 the Faggard family gathered in the doorway of the Central Hotel for a photograph.  L_R:  First Row Eugene Langston, Alma Faggard Gaither, John Langston, Lee Langston, Glenn Langston, Nora Epperson Langston, Bethel Langston, and Osta Langston. 

Standing:  Will Faggard, Amazona Broughton Faggard holding Fern Faggard Gibson, George Lamar Faggard, Nora Langston, Ike Langston, Britt Langston holding Maggie Langston Pendley, Calvin Langston, John M Faggard, Melissa Jane Fox Faggard.


     The Faggards operated the hotel probably until 1904.  At that time it was replaced by the building constructed to house the newly chartered Farmers and Merchants National Bank. 

      It was in this hotel that De Leon citizens voted to incorporate the city only three months prior to the taking of the photograph.  Bud Faggard served as De Leon’s Marshall for a period of time and also ran a saloon in the 1880s.