Salina Post proudly presents Flashback Friday in partnership with the Smoky Hill Museum. Enjoy a weekly tidbit of local history from the staff at Salina Post and the Smoky Hill Museum as we present "Salina-Flashback Fridays."
By SALINA POST
Built with soot and iron, Brookville knew railroads from its beginning in 1867 — even down to its planning and plats.
The Kansas Pacific Railroad offices in Chicago named and zoned Brookville in the late 1860s, with the company's roundhouse acting as the town's first building.
Today, the town remains a small community, with about 240 residents and dusty dirt roads with wooden and sandstone buildings.
Soon, general stores, mercantiles, mills and schools moved into the new community, and the population swelled to 800 by the 1870s. With the recent business buzz of the town, three hotels established themselves in the community, including the Brookville Hotel.
The new two-story hotel competed with other establishments by boasting warm food for travelers and an inviting atmosphere. Through the 1870s and 1880s, the town continued its success until 1889, when the railroad roundhouse relocated to Junction City.
After Kansas Pacific Railroad moved the roundhouse, the population of Brookville plummeted to only 280 people, but it still supported its businesses like a bank, newspaper and The Brookville Hotel.
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In 1894, Gus and Mae Magnuson purchased the hotel and earned a reputation for their dining room's delicious, home-style meals.
Throughout the town's tumultuous decades, the Brookville Hotel continued its restaurant and services. In 1910, the Mangnuson's daughter, Helen Martin, created the hotel's famous family-style chicken dinners.
The dinners drew crowds from across the region, and in 1933, the Mangnusons passed down the building to Martin.
Nearby Camp Phillips and the Smoky Hill Air Base led thousands of soldiers and station employees to patronize the small-town hotel. Once the war ended, the town declined in population and popularity.
In 1948, Martin made additions to the hotel, and in 1960, a third-generation family member, Cal Martin, partnered with Helen Martin to manage the establishment.
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The family continued managing the property throughout the 20th Century, making further additions in 1971 and 1978 to increase the serving capacity to 200.
In 1982, the fourth generation of the family took over the restaurant, serving its historic family-style meals and offering comfort for travelers.
The Brookville Hotel finally left the community in 1999, when fourth-generation family owners Mark and Connie Martin decided to move the restaurant to Abilene for better proximity to Interstate 70.
In 2020, owner Mark Martin closed the business due to financial stress. In 2022, Deana and Chuck Munson purchased the building and reopened it as Legacy Kansas and Brookville Hotel, expanding its menu to include more home-style meals.
Today, the Brookville Hotel recreation sits just north of I-70, welcoming travelers with its home-style cooking and continuing the legacy of the Kansas frontier.