THANKS FOR BROWSING OUR WEBSITE AND CONSIDERING OUR HOTEL!
Please visit and stay in Pawhuska’s most original preserved historic hotel. At the HOTEL WHITING we are transitioning to new ownership in early 2022 and consequently are doing extensive renovations that will vastly improve the comfort and look and feel of the rooms and lobby, but without compromising any historical integrity.
If you choose to BOOK ONLINE directly with us on this site or by using one of the various major online travel booking sites, please realize that the online pictures of the rooms are constantly being updated for accuracy as we make the improvements.
We WILL NOT be disrupting your stay with any remodeling noise or activities. We are specifically closing each of the 4 hotel buildings as we perform the renovations in that building.
Thank you for bearing with us during the renovations and please let us know if there is anything we can do to improve in any way. If you stay with us during this transition, we want to thank you with a reward. Please inquire about exclusive discounts and promotions for repeat customers who return to experience our new rooms after the remodel.
ABOUT
The HOTEL WHITING is a rare example of an extremely original HISTORIC PROPERTY located in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. It has slipped through time. It is truly unique in Pawhuska, having not been “over-restored” like so many other properties that are gutted and built back all new. The Hotel Whiting has the unreproducible soul of a true CAREFUL RESTORATION.
Originally BUILT IN 1920 as a commercial apartment building, it retains the layout of the original 11 COMMERCIAL UNITS on the ground floor. With the exception of the north-most unit that serves as the HOTEL WHITING LOBBY, they are all occupied by stores that sell quality apparel, antiques, furs, art, jewelry, etc. And on the second floor the original 20 apartments have transitioned into 20 HISTORIC HOTEL ROOMS over the last few decades, without disturbing the original layout, trim, doors, etc. They are perfectly suited for this role due to interior hotel hallway access, spacious closets, kitchenettes, full bathrooms, living areas, etc…..and some units even have a separate additional bedroom
CONTACT
ROOMS
Click HERE TO BOOK online directly from our online system
8 – Studio Suites with larger bathroom
Various bed options
4 – Studio Suites
Various bed options
4 – One Bedroom Suites (COMING SOON!….under renovation)
1 queen bed and 2 single beds – sleeps 4 total
4 – One Bedroom Suites with larger bathroom (COMING SOON!…under renovation)
1 queen bed and 2 single beds – sleeps 4 total
All suites have spacious kitchenettes with the following:
Refrigerator (full sized)
Microwave
Coffee maker
Dish sets
Sink
HISTORY
Pawhuska, Circa 1925 – Looking South Down Ki-He-Kah Street, with HOTEL WHITING on the far right.
The HOTEL WHITING was originally known as “The Whiting Apartments”, a.k.a. “The Whiting”. It was built circa 1920 by VERNON WHITING as Pawhuska was rapidly growing due to the oil boom that spawned local Oklahoma millionaires such as Frank Phillips (Phillips 66) and E.W. Marland (Marland Oil).
“The Whiting” is a very unique piece of architecture. There are 20 apartments on the second floor but they are split across 4 upper building “blocks”, that protrude from a continuous first floor of 11 commercial units spanning the west side of Ki-he-kah Street from the 7th Street Stairs all the way to 8th Street, approximately 250 feet.
The building was a ground breaking achievement of urban planning at the time. It is nestled into the edge of the forests that come down the hillside, at the base of Agency Hill (atop which sits the Osage Agency). This creates a feeling of being on the ground level when approaching the upper apartment level from the west. But clearly from the front it is actually a 2 story structure. The 4 apartment building “blocks” on the upper floor are generously spaced apart, giving a feeling that one is again at ground level surrounded by open paved space. The courtyards/terraces and balconies surround all of the four buildings. The front cantilevered balcony is over 10 feet deep, creating a great social experience between the residential tenants and the active commercial areas and sidewalk and street below. This kind of interaction was/is rare in downtown buildings, especially in 1920 and especially in Pawhuska.
The architectural style of “The Whiting” has many Arts and Crafts elements, as exemplified by its simple horizontal and vertical lines, brick reliefs, and 8-over-1 double hung sash windows. It also has some early Art Deco influences in the stucco geometric stepped parapet facades.
Over the decades, The Whiting Apartments has been the home of storekeepers, oil field workers, recently married couples, retirees, etc.
The Whiting Apartment building was built by Mr. VERNON WHITING and his second wife, Mrs. MAUDE A. WHITING, circa 1920.
Mr. Vernon Whiting and Mrs. Maude A. Whiting
Circa 1924
VERNON WHITING – Click the name for a detailed bio
MAUDE A. WHITING – Click the name for a detailed bio
GUEST INFO
(coming soon)