The Rogers Hotel was the talk of the town in during the Gay Nineties. The original Rogers embraced 132 feet on 4th and 113 feet on Nicollet. Legend has it that in 1886, J. E. “Tooze” Rogers walked into a one story building on the corner and said, ” This looks like a likely place to start a hotel.” The adjacent Hyser Hotel opened on November, 4th, 1901. About ten years later the five story building was sold to and the place became a longtime favorite drinking, dining and entertainment destination. 
The Rogers Hotel offered of elegant cafes. One in the basement, that is rumored to have cost more than $200,000 , was done up with white marble decor. Inside the front door was a wide stairway leading to another dining room that contained a miniature Minnehaha Falls complete with flowing water over a glass frame. The Rogers featured nightly entertainment provided by an all girl orchestra. Every Thanksgiving journalists and paper boys from newspaper row were invited to free and discount diners. Nationally known notables in business, on the stage and in politics were guests at Mr. Rogers cafe and hotel. The brilliant dinners drew widespread comment. Anything that Rogers thought belonged in a first rate hotel was there.
The property was worth well over a million dollars when “Tooze” Rogers passed away in 1912. Rogers also owned the Unique and Empress theaters. In 1930 the hotel was purchased by a chain called Milner Hotels Inc. The outfit had at least 75 properties scattered all over the United States. Sadly the famous basement cafe was came upon bad day. It opened and closed a couple times, but the lavish fittings disappeared and it never regained it’s former glory. The building was demolished in 1960.
