The Hotel Frederick is a noted local and state historical landmark.
It exists today as a tribute to prosperity of yesteryear and today. It was built in 1905 by Charles Augustus Sombart, a local miller and banker. It was named after his son, Frederick Sombart. This stately hotel was constructed by W.J. Cochran and Sons Construction Company for a cost of $40,000.
It is the best example of Romanesque Revival architecture in the region and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
After completion of the Highway 40 Boonville Road Bridge, an additional 39 rooms were added in 1929. From its construction until 1964, the Frederick was leased by the Million family, while the Sombart family retained ownership. In 1973, the Sombart family sold the hotel to the first of a succession of owners. For a while, the Frederick operated as a weekend restaurant and Greyhound bus depot. Later it served as the Boonville Retirement Center. The retirement center closed in 1994 leaving the building dormant and in growing disrepair.
In 2005, Bill and Maggie Haw bought the Hotel Frederick, at which time they completed an extensive $4 million restoration of the building. The public areas of the Hotel have been furnished throughout with antiques mostly from the 19th century, with an emphasis on regional pieces. The photos reproduced in the public areas are from the New Deal’s Historic American Building Survey which, in Central Missouri, was led by the famous cultural historian Charle van Ravenswaay. The map collection which traces Missouri history back to the 1890’s is from the archives of the Hotel Frederick. The rugs throughout are Persian Gabbeh, which are hand-knotted by the nomads of Fars province in Southwest Iran.
Hotel Frederick reopened in 2007 as a boutique hotel and today has 30 beautifully appointed guest rooms, a lovely main level restaurant and bar, The Brick Room (lower level nightclub with live entertainment), and bike rentals for Katy Trail enthusiasts. Current owner, Holly Bozarth Simpson, returned to her hometown of Boonville and became General Manager in 2013 after working as Executive Director of Friends of Historic Boonville and Missouri Preservation. In 2020, Holly had the opportunity to become proprietor of this spectacular building and its rich history.