Driving nonstop from Texarkana to El Paso takes over twelve hours. Profound changes in the landscape range from East Texas piney woods, central plains, upper hill country, and mesquite-cleared farmland to the mountainous West Texas Chihuahuan desert. For a true historic travel experience, Travel Awaits recommends paralleling the old Bankhead route. The Bankhead Highway, also known as the Broadway of America, stretched from Washington, DC to San Diego, California, and was one of the nation’s earliest transcontinental highways. In 1917, the Texas Highway Department designated the 850 miles of the Bankhead Highway within Texas as State Highway 1. Over the decades, a number of points of interests have popped up along this route, including Hotel Settles.
According to Travel Awaits, Hotel Settles, the crown jewel of West Texas, is the hotel to plan your stay along the Bankhead Highway. Have dinner in the Settle’s Grill, offering West Texas comfort food in a casual dining experience. The Pharmacy Bar & Parlor offers an extensive beer and wine list, plus classic cocktails in a welcoming atmosphere.
Designed by architect David Castle, the 15-story, 150-room hotel opened on October 1, 1930, along with a restaurant and pharmacy. Will R. and Lillian Settles built the hotel after discovering oil on their ranch. At the time, the hotel was the tallest building between El Paso and Fort Worth. G. Brint Ryan purchased the hotel and invested $30 million into its renovation. In 2011, Hotel Settles was inducted into Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels.
Read more about the history of Hotel Settles here.
Discover more must-see destinations in Texas here.
About Historic Hotels of America®
Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing, celebrating, and promoting the finest historic hotels. Each fascinating place has been inducted into this distinguished program based upon noteworthy standards, including quality of accommodations, historic significance, record of preserving authenticity, sense of place and architectural integrity.
