Volume 10 , Issue 24

Old Crowell House In Alva, OK

Marty Myers of Cherokee, Oklahoma sent me this information that appeared in the Enid News & Eagle concerning the Old Crowell house located on the southwest corner of 8th & Flynn Avenue, in Alva, Oklahoma.

A Burlington, Oklahoma family that runs The Vintage House in Burlington are expanding their business to Alva with a NEW Bed & Breakfast that they will call The Vintage Inn.

Lori Kraft and her sister, Sherri Garroutte have purchased the Old Crowell House in Alva to remodel it into the new The Vintage Inn. It is located across the street from the Alva Middle School.

The Crowell Past
The Crowell House was named for its original builder and owner, George Washington Crowell. George was originally a native of North Carolina, but moved to Kansas in his youth with his parents. He was involved with the lumber business in Kansas. He came to Alva in 1893 and opened the first lumber yard. As the story goes the, (Crowell family legacy), George Crowell arrived in Alva with only $1.50 in his pockets, but shortly became very rich. He was appointed a county commissioner of the First District in Oklahoma by Gov. William Renfrow. He also was vice-president of First National Bank and president of Crowell Bros. Lumber Co.

As to George's big house on 8th & Flynn Ave., in Alva, Oklahoma, legend has it Crowell wanted to build the biggest house in Alva so he constructed the house in 1906 andh succeeded for about a year, until another man built a slightly larger house on the west side of town.

Crowell brought in an Italian artist, who was charged with scrolling in gold leaf on the walls and ceilings on the first floor and up the stairs. He also carved rail posts and the glass doors leading into the house. All the wood and the tile roofing for the house was shipped in from Kansas. Crowell also had several chandeliers shipped in from Europe. Crowell took copper from a bank in Kansas and installed it in two of the rooms.

The garage of the home today was originally one of the first hamburger stands in Alva. This NW Okie remember when I was attending Junior High in the early 1960's, there was no cafeteria at the old junior high building (which, besides beingw the old high school, was a three-story red brick building with a gymnasium and band room in the basement).

Anyway... for lunch we would walk a block south and a block east to Washington Elementary School on the southwest corner of Barnes Ave. and 7th Street. Sometimes we wouldn't make ti to the elementary cafeteria and would stop in the hamburger joint in the Crowell's old garage and get a hamburger for what seemed like 25 to 50 cents at that time... maybe more like 75 cents. They made great burgers and it was a favorite hangout of teenagers at lunch time.

The Vintage House in Burlington
According to their website, "The Vintage House was established in 2005 by Kevin and Lori Kraft and features ?outstanding food while dining in an ambiance of elegance.? It also says, ?We combined years of our families recipes to create delicious cuisine that you and your family can enjoy in a quaint romantic atmosphere.? The Krafts also are known for singing love songs and classics on special nights."

Menu entrees include two cuts of beef steaks, two cuts of buffalo steaks, salmon, soup of the night (chicken noodle soup or cheesy potato soup), three types of lobster, smoked chicken and two types of shrimp. All entrees come with a salad (house or garden), fresh baked bread, soup of the night and a baked potato. We understand that people fly in from all across Oklahoma to visit The Vintage House.

This NW Okie has not been to Burlington, Oklahoma in awhile, but it sounds like I need to stop in at The Vintage House on Wednesday thru Sunday. BUT... will I need to make a reservation? Check out their website listed above.
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