This two-story brick structure was built between 1896 and 1901 by Flatonia physician G.W. Allen, Sr. The first known use of the building as a hotel occurred in 1915, when Carrie Snell purchased and operated it. Flatonia's railroads created the need for boarding houses and hotels to lodge the many drummers, or traveling salesmen, who crossed the countryside by rail. In 1926 Otto Olle purchased the hotel and operated it, later joined by his wife, until her death in 1967. The building then sat vacant until 1999. Built in the Colonial Revival style, it featured tall ceilings, double-hung windows, and a covered veranda for ventilation, and it underwent a major expansion during the Olle family's ownership.