This Historic Hotel Is Truly A Part Of Montana's Legacy
By Jessica Wick|Published April 11, 2019
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Jessica Wick
Author
Jessica Wick is a writer and travel enthusiast who loves exploring new places, meeting new people and, of course, beautiful Big Sky Country and every part of Washington State.
As local travel experts, we know what travelers are looking for when it comes to finding the perfect accommodations for their next trip. To compile our lists, we scour the internet to find properties with excellent ratings and reviews, desirable amenities, nearby attractions, and that something special that makes a destination worthy of traveling for.
We love preserving pieces of the past here in Montana, which is pretty fantastic, especially since it’s known as the Last Best Place. If you’ve ever stayed in one of our old hotels, you know how special it is to be surrounded by living history (if only the walls could talk). The Murray Hotel is one fine example of such a space, and if you’ve never spent a night there, you’re really missing out.
The Murray Hotel is located at 201 W Park St. in Livingston, where it has remained since 1904.
Back then, it was known as the Elite Hotel and owned by Josephine Kline, who wanted to accommodate passengers from the Northern Pacific Railway.
The hotel's construction was funded by the family of a future U.S. Senator from Montana, James E. Murray. And since the beginning, it was in a prime spot for travelers.
However, the hotel fell on hard financial times after it expanded to four floors in the 1920s. Eventually, the Murray family foreclosed on Josephine Kline, took over the operation of the hotel, and renamed it The Murray.
Buffalo Bill, Calamity Jane, director Sam Peckinpah, and even Queen of Denmark have slept here. Humorist Will Rogers and his friend Walter Hill once tried (and failed) to bring a saddle horse up to their third floor suite on the hand-cranked elevator.
Robert Redford, Whoopi Goldberg, actress Margot Kidder, and actor Rip Torn have all stayed here. Anthony Bourdain once named it one of his top 10 favorite hotels.
The rooms have been tastefully renovated, and now they have modern amenities while still maintaining a historic elegance.
Aside from the fact that it's a historic treasure, it's conveniently located in the heart of downtown.
Booking a stay at The Murray Hotel will give you a great excuse to explore Livingston, which happens to be home to an exceptionally large number of writers.
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