The historic Eklund Hotel has been a landmark for travelers of the southwest since the 1890s. It began as a two story rock building in 1892 (the west side of the present building. The ground floor was occupied as a store until 1894 when Carl Eklund brought in his elaborately carved bar which is still in use in the saloon. Mr Eklund and his wife, Gerda, purchased the property in December 1897, and the east two stories were built in 1898. They added the third floor and the "opera balcony" or porch in 1905.

The Eklunds kept the hotel as modern as possible with the addition of plumbing, steam heat, electricity, and telephones as they became available. The Eklund was the only first-class hotel between Trinidad, Colorado, and Fort Worth, Texas for many years, and has long had a reputation for good food and drink.

In 1992, the Eklund Hotel's centennial, the establishment was purchased by a group of mostly local folks, know as the Eklund Association, Inc., for the purpose of preserving the Eklund for the town and for the future.

The hotel rooms on the upper two floors are not open to the public at this time. Renovating the hotel rooms is a goal of the Eklund Association, and will happen in the not too distant future.

The owners and staff of the Eklund welcome you to the dining room and saloon, and wish you Bon Appetit.