The Pollard Hotel
130 Years of Everlasting History
Red Lodge, MT
Photography contributed by The Pollard
Some say a ghost lives on the third floor and late at night, a glimpse of her may be caught scurrying down the hallway in a yellow gown, leaving the faint smell of French perfume in her wake.
Others, however, say the ghost is not a woman, but instead a guy, and a very friendly one at that. Named “George” by hotel staff when he made his appearance in the 80s, he allegedly enjoyed teasing the staff, making phones ring in the guest rooms, leaving fingerprints on freshly cleaned mirrors, and even filling the air with the aroma of warm popcorn or fresh coffee at odd hours.
Folklore or not, ghost stories and other entertaining tales abound over the 13 decades The Pollard has been standing at the corner of Broadway and 11th in Red Lodge, Montana. The stately building has seen much change since its opening on July 4, 1893.
In the late 1800s, through the labor of hundreds of immigrants, coal mining was making its mark in the rugged Beartooth foothills. In need of lodging for the workers, the construction of a hotel in the booming town of Red Lodge seemed logical to the Rocky Fork Coal Company.
The $20,000 building opened as The Spofford, paying homage to investor Charles Spofford, and was proudly proclaimed the first brick building in town. Progressively thinking and uncertain whether the main street would continue to run from east to west between two mining offices, or would eventually run north to south, a corner entrance was constructed to accommodate growth from either direction. 35 guest rooms were constructed and available for both travelers and local coal miners. In a short time, other patrons included area ranchers, traveling businessmen, gamblers, and actors performing at the Finn Opera House down the street.
A 4th of July parade during the Tyler Hotel and JC Penney Era.
Historical accounts of the early years depict the hotel as the site of elegant dinners, formal gatherings, and musical attractions. In 1897, it was rumored that guests witnessed the Sundance Kid, Kid Curry and other members of the Wild Bunch Gang robbing the Red Lodge Bank, housed in the hotel at the time. Whether true or a tale is unclear, but nonetheless it adds to the mystique of the hotel.
It is factual, though, that difficulty in finding good management led to the sale of the hotel in 1902 to Thomas Pollard. He became the second and longest owner during the lifespan of the building, owning it for 44 years. Pollard moved his family from Virginia City where he had previously owned and managed the Madison House, equipping him with the necessary background and experience to revive the hotel and create a destination attracting locals and travelers alike.
Names on the hotel’s long and colorful guest register include Buffalo Bill Cody, William Jennings Bryan, Calamity Jane and Frederic Remington. Fittingly, “Liver Eatin” Johnson, a resident of Red Lodge, also spent a great deal of time lounging and eating in the establishment.
After his purchase, Pollard immediately began renovations, adding electric lights, steam heat, hot and cold water, and baths. More rooms were added to accommodate the bustling city. Originally built in a “U” shape featuring a center courtyard, Pollard closed it in to expand retail businesses on the main floor to include a bar and dining room, various retail shops, and an attorney’s office. The basement soon housed a bowling alley and barbershop as well. Shortly after his purchase, Red Lodge’s main street was changed from its original path from east to west to what is now Broadway and The Pollard became the anchor at the north end of town. The corner door accessible from both 11thand Broadway turned out to be a wise choice and is still currently used.
The first phone number in Red Lodge was awarded to The Pollard in 1903 and was the number “1.” Today, the hotel’s business phoneline still has a remnant of that historic number, (406) 446-0001.
At the turn of the century, the size and sophistication of the building was acclaimed throughout Montana. In 1915, the U.S. Postal Office occupied the first floor, where present day Marli’s is located, and remained in the building until 1962.
By the late 20s, The Pollard had caught the attention of the partners behind the Golden Rule Store, a mercantile founded in 1902 in Kemmerer, Wyoming. One of the three owners was James Cash (JC) Penney, whose business plan was to expand across Wyoming and surrounding states, focusing on small, rural towns. Red Lodge fell in his sights with its access to railroad connections and the hotel’s main street location.
The Golden Rule Store moved into The Pollard in 1929. Soon after, Penney bought out his partners and the name of the store was changed to JC Penney, making the store at The Pollard the third JC Penney in Montana.
As history progressed, The Pollard withstood the industrialization of Red Lodge, WWI, Prohibition, the closing of area mines, The Great Depression, the construction of the Beartooth Highway, the influx of dude ranches and other tourist attractions, and WWII.
Pollard sold the hotel in 1946 and several tough decades followed for the famed business. With each new owner and name change, it seemed more of the hotel’s prestige slipped away and the buildingcrumbled as businesses and guests moved on and structural damage and neglect settled in. Eventually, upkeep became too expensive and the hotel shut down and sat vacant.
The Pollard Hotel in the early 20th Century and today.
In 1977, the hotel went to a foreclosure sale where Glasgow-based Braden-Pehlke Construction Company paid $85,000 for the building. A thorough investigation by an engineering firm revealed the true extent of structural issues. Among a long list was brick work yielding insufficient support after dozens of remodels and foundational issues and doors, flooring, wiring, and plumbing all in disrepair. The exterior also needed an overhaul including a new roof, updated windows, and updated masonry work.
Undaunted, the new owners set to work with the goal of bringing the old hotel back to life along with its namesake, The Pollard. Once again, more rooms were added along with a banquet room and rental spaces for shops and businesses. Two racquetball courts were completed in the basement and by 1983, the remodel had deemed it worthy of “primary historical and architectural significance.”
Sadly, less than a decade later, it was up for sale yet again and desperately in need of an ambitious owner who could see past the expense and develop a business plan to make it profitable. Dave Knight had that vision.
Knight took over the long list of needed renovations, adding an elevator, a kitchen, main floor restrooms, a dining and bar facility, and most obviously, restoring the brickwork, which had been painted white, to its original color. The interior was once again redone as Knight painstakingly, and sparing no expense, gutted the building and remodeled every room in the hotel.
In the early 90s, as Knight was in the midst of updates, Eliza Kuntz landed in Red Lodge fresh out of college. While working at Red Lodge Mountain, Eliza secured a second job at The Pollard managing the basement gym which had been transformed into a health club. Little did she know, years later, she and her husband, Tom Kuntz, would own The Pollard themselves.
During Knight’s reign as owner, The Pollard experienced both ups and downs. For a time, he operated it as a bed and breakfast, he renovated the kitchen, and added a gallery. But after having owned it for the better part of three decades, in 2017, he approached the Kuntzs about purchasing it. Already owning and operating four restaurants on the east side of Broadway, and with Tom immersed in his career as Red Lodge Fire Chief, the couple thought hard before deciding to “jump to the other side of the street.”
“The Pollard is a destination in itself. We’d like our guests to come to the hotel first, and then to enjoy Red Lodge as a bonus. We are proud to be part of the growth and improvements along Main Street and the pride that surrounds Red Lodge.”
“Tom and I were ready to expand our family business, but we also wanted the challenge of something new. The hotel seemed to be the perfect answer for us,” Eliza said. “Tom had the restaurant experience and I have an operational and management background, so we jumped right in.”
By then, Knight’s improvements were decades old, so as soon as the Kuntz family became the new owners, The Pollard underwent another full remodel to include every room in the hotel. Today, turn of the century influence flows throughout the building, maintaining the charm and character of the historic building while still offering luxurious accommodations. To honor its longstanding history, Tom and Eliza use the name “Spofford Hotel Company doing business as The Pollard Hotel.” The largest update brought by the Kuntz family was the addition of an upscale restaurant called Marli’s, a name born of the combination of their daughters’ names, Margot and Allie.
When visitors drive into Red Lodge, aside from Mount Maurice, one of the first landmarks to notice is the regal, red brick Pollard Hotel. Permeating with the character, charm, and history of Red Lodge, the building will hopefully stand for decades to come.
“The Pollard is a destination in itself,” Eliza said. “We’d like our guests to come to the hotel first, and then to enjoy Red Lodge as a bonus. We are proud to be part of the growth and improvements along Main Street and the pride that surrounds Red Lodge.”
A celebration of The Pollard’s 130 reign is scheduled for October, 2023.