The Hotel of Terror, located at 334 N. Main Ave. in Springfield, will be demolished after the city reached an agreement with the owner to buy the property for about $2 million. The building has been a family fright business for 48 years.

History of the Building

The building, constructed in 1915, has been a hotel at two different times, profiting from its prime location across Main Avenue from the Frisco Railroad depot. At one point, it was scheduled to be sold and turned into an “Aged Men’s Home” for men on pensions, but the sale fell through due to a lack of funds.

The Frisco Railroad depot, which opened in 1927, was a significant landmark in the area and was described as an architectural gem. However, it fell victim to neglect and was eventually torn down in 1977.

The building has had various owners over the years, including Ronald Durr, a Springfield contractor, who bought it in 1986. His daughter, Melissa Harmon, recalls that her mother had a business on the first floor, and her father used much of the space as storage for his contracting business.

The building was sold to Johnny Mathis, the father of Sterling Mathis, in 1995, and has been used for the Hotel of Terror since then.

Original reporting: Springfield Daily Citizen — read the source article.