Located in Deadwood, SD, the Franklin Hotel opened in 1903 with many luxuries, including private baths in half of the 80 rooms. Over the years it hosted luminaries such as Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Buffalo Bill, Babe Ruth, and John Wayne.The Crash of ’29 forced the hotel to convert to apartments. It became a hotel again in 1989 when Deadwood legalized gambling. It underwent a major renovation in 2005 when it was purchased by the neighboring Silverado Casino. The first photo is dated 1910, and the third is from 1922.
