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Rosalee Hostetler
Hatteberg's People
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
| November 2, 2003--Rosalea Hostetler has been a lightening
rod for controversy ever since she first opened Rosalea’s Hotel in Harper Kansas 35 years ago. |
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| Depending on whom you talk too, folks there either believe she is a sinner of biblical proportions or a misunderstood saint. Either way, she continues her life’s journey. |
“All I ever wanted to do was to save downtown Harper. And sometimes in the middle of the night all I want to do is to run through the streets and say ‘I told you so, I told you so, why didn’t you listen to me, I told you
so!’" |
Behind a wall of her former hotel now nibbled with time’s rant, Rosalea Hostetler continues to be that free spirit, whose cause now --- is saving historic buildings in small towns.
“I believe if we would rearrange our priorities we could all pitch in and save some of these small towns. Not everyone wants to live in a big city.”
It all sounds perfectly fine, except that many people still cannot get over Rosalea’s past.
“I don’t have time to play their games and I feel sorry for them in a way, because they don’t know any better.”
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The Wall Street Journal once ran a story that headlined; “Proprietor of Rosalea’s Hotel in Harper upsets citizens with her penchant for erotica and cussing.”
“It was more like a salon, a gathering of good minds.”
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While she admits to a little cussing---she says the newspaper got it wrong. Behind the red door at the old hotel was a place for great conversation.
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| “It was more like a ‘salon’, a gathering of good minds and creative people and people who like to have great conversation. I miss it terribly.” |
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With the hotel now history, and a lot of living and lessons behind her, Rosalea created a newspaper called “The Prairie Connection. Printed in Arkansas City and distributed in some small towns, the paper’s profits are used to support Rosalea’s preservation efforts. |
“The theatre (in Harper) was gifted to us; it hasn’t been in use for quite a while.”
“This is the only Oyster Parlor left standing on the prairie. There were three in Harper at one time.”
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| “I refer to this as the professional office building, because there are 12 beautiful office suites upstairs and you know it was absolutely beautiful.” |
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So far, six buildings saved, but there is never enough money for repair. So her dream is that the paper will someday provide the income for historic preservation.
In the meantime, in her eclectic office, Rosalea says she will be repressed no more.
“As I look back on my life, it’s always been, hold her back, shut her up, repress
her. Throw roadblocks at her…stop her, stop her, and so this is finally something that just blossomed and finally I have a voice. I don’t care if people read it or not, but at least I can put it on paper. And I find that there are people who like it.”
Love her or hate her, either way, you cannot ignore her.
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Note: If you would like to discuss the ‘Prairie Connection’ with Rosalea, discuss historic preservation, or submit an article to the paper, you may contact Rosalea at:
www.prairieconnect.com
The office mailing address is:
The Prairie Connection
121 W. Main
Harper, KS 67058 |
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