New owners revive ‘a beautiful part of history’
By Olivia Lewis
When the St. James Hotel in Cimarron shuttered last fall, the future appeared uncertain for one of the most storied lodges of the Old West era.
Cimarron, originally built in 1872. The landmark hotel on the Santa Fe Trail was a stomping ground for such Wild West icons as
Wyatt Earp, Jesse James, Buffalo Bill Cody, Clay Allison, Black Jack Ketchum and Billy the Kid.
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
By winter, however, the hotel had reopened under two new owners: Red River-based father-daughter duo Chad and Alyse Mantz, CEO and director of operations, respectively, for M Vacation Properties & Resorts, a rental and property management company with multiple properties in Taos and Red River.
originally known as Lambert’s Saloon, is set to close Sept. 17.
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
“For me, the St. James is a beautiful part of history,” Alyse says. “I was so excited to have the opportunity to keep it going and make sure it’s preserved. I’m a little bit of a history nerd, so this has been awesome.”
Between its rugged antiques, ghostly reputation and 26 bullet holes in the bar’s tin ceiling, the St. James Hotel has been part of Cimarron’s heritage for more than a century. The hotel was built in 1872 by Henri “Henry” Lambert, a former personal chef of President Abraham Lincoln, during the heyday of the Santa Fe Trail.
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
The 24 hotel rooms are named for the famous lawmen, outlaws and sharpshooters who stayed there: Buffalo Bill Cody, Doc Holliday, Annie Oakley, Wyatt Earp, Jessie James, Clay Allison, Black Jack Ketchum, and Billy the Kid, to name a few.
The hotel closed Sept. 16 after it was announced that Bob Funk, the hotel’s owner since 2009, would be retiring due to health reasons.
“It was different from any kind of transaction I’ve had before because the Funk family is very passionate about this,” Chad says. “They wanted to make sure that it was being passed on to someone who would maintain the rich Western history ….”
Cimarron and the hotel were a well-trodden stop on the Santa Fe Trail for travelers. More recently, the nearby Philmont Boy Scout Ranch today brings thousands of visitors to the area each summer, many celebrating at the St. James Hotel after their treks.
legacy,” according to a statement from Jennifer Callahan of the Oklahoma law firm McAfee & Taft, which represents hotel owner
Bob Funk.
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
Near Halloween, the hotel sees upticks in visitors seeking paranormal experiences.
“You can take a tour down the hallways and the things that happened in this place are amazing,” Chad said of their interest in the hotel’s history. “There’s still bullet holes in the ceiling of the saloon, so just the history of it is crazy.”