Located in Okmulgee, Oklahoma is an old abandoned 1900s hotel "Hotel Sparks". The hotel which has had many names over the years is currently abandoned and is deteriorating in despair. Under the management of different owners, the hotel changed to at least three names. Bateman hotel, Huffman hotel, and hotel Elmo are some of the many names the hotel has had over its lifespan.

Establishment of Sparks Hotel

Hotel Spark was built in 1922 when the financier and owner George W. Spark decided to bring to life his long-life dream of a complex hotel in rural Okmulgee. The three-storey building was constructed from locally available materials and contractors. The hotel at its completion had beautiful and classic fully furnished rooms and dining areas. 

It had a capacity of 21 rooms and amenities that tired the travelers yawned for. They mostly liked the warm and cold bath and heating elements that provided warmth during winter just to mention a few. Although it started on the right foot, the hotel faced turbulence over the years that led to its demise.

Turbulence and early life of the hotel

Only a year after its official inauguration and opening of business the hotel spark was sold to Rufus Bateman. Bateman was a known colonel who had a series of hotels under his wing and management. After seeing potential in the hotel, he purchased it from the original owners. Bateman rebranded the hotel and changed the name to Bateman Hotel. 

As if it was cursed, the hotel did not last as misfortunes followed it in its short period of operation. The manager of the hotel, a drunkard, was arrested several times in the hotel premises with illegal possessions of alcohol and running a disorderly house. Bateman became frustrated with his hotel’s tainted name and sold it. The hotel which had now changed hands a second time did well in the hands of its new owner under the name Hotel Elmo.  Louis and Clara Smith would become the fourth owners of the hotel in 1960. The couple’s main and frequent customers were students from the nearby college. By 1972, the hotel which had some sections turned into rental apartments was sold to Huffman Willie who changed the name to Huffman Hotel. The hotel business did well until the late 1980s when an assault incident led to its permanent closure and abandonment.

What remains of Hotel Sparks?

After decades of lying unattended to and abandoned, the hotel caught fire this year that nearly brought it down to its knees. Though it was contained, the fire did incredible damage to the already dilapidated structure. Today the hotel stands in ruins with no hope of ever being restored. Its burned bricked walls and concrete remains a ruin and an eyesore to the community. The hotel does not allow visits to the property. Due to the unstable walls, the three-story partially burned building is a hazard waiting to happen.