The Bessborough Hotel in Saskatoon

Photo: courtesy of wikimapia

The Bessborough Hotel was designed by Archibald-Schofield in Montreal and built with fine Canadian materials: Saskatchewan clay brick, Manitoba Tyndall stone, and Ontario granite. The bronzes also come from Ontario.

The hotel was named after Sir Vere Ponsonby, the 9th Earl of Bessborough who was also the 14th Governnor-General of Canada.

Begun before the stock market crashed in 1929, the construction of the Bessborough Hotel was completed in 1932. However, the opening was delayed until 1935, when in the midst of the Great Depression, the first dance was attended by a thousand guests (Delta Hotels).

Some say this hotel is haunted by a quiet man in grey suit and fedora.

Built by the CNR and later sold to the CPR, the Bessborough marked the end of the era of building the great railway hotels of Canada. It is now owned by Delta Hotels.