Edwin Russell established the historic Beaumont Hotel in the beautiful scenic Flint Hills of Kansas in 1879. It was first used as a stagecoach station and stopping place for travelers from Fredonia and Wichita.

In 1885, Beaumont was established as a railroad town. The water tower, built in 1885, stands across from the hotel and is the only one still in use in the United States. The former roundhouse, built in 1890 across from the hotel, employed 90 people. Beaumont was established as the overhaul station between St. Louis and Wichita. The Beaumont Hotel, then known, as the Summit Hotel, was the highest point on the Frisco Line from Ellsworth, Kansas to St. Louis. Guests included cattle barons from Texas and Oklahoma and the elite of the Frisco Railroad. It was used as headquarters for those who shipped or brought cattle in to fatten. While the cattle barons and ranchers stayed in the hotel, the cowboys camped outside.

The rich Kansas Bluestem grew abundantly in the Flint Hills, resulting in hundreds of thousands of cattle being shipped' by rail from Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. There were holding pens for 9,000 head of cattle across from, the hotel. At this time, Beaumont was a typica1 old western town, with four eastbound and four westbound trains a day. In 1885 the hotel was purchased by Durham Cattle Company and sold in 1895 to Reed Church. In 1910,' when Charles Church took over the hotel, Beaumont had approximately 1500 residents. In 1930, a Mr. Waterfall bought the hotel and started serving meals. Nell Rauch bought the hotel in 1945 n sold it in 1947 to a Mr. Coonrod who operated it for six years.

Mr. J. C. Squier bought the hotel in 1953. He added running water and heat, removed, the old rope ladders used for fire escapes.  For the convenience of cattle buyers, a grass airstrip was put in for planes to taxi up the street and park south of the hotel.

The hotel was completely renovated in 2001, all rooms now have private baths.(It used to have 1 at the end of the hall)Phones,TV/VCR, wireless internet,among other great amneties

We invite you to come in, visit us, and learn more of the history of Beaumont Kansas. Experience firsthand the charm and beauty of the Flint Hills and of this hotel.