Hotel Sansone (Hotel Springfield, Hotel Sterling)

The Hotel Sansone opened in 1911 near the public square in Springfield, Missouri, when the city matured into the commercial hub of southwest Missouri and much of the Ozarks. John T. Woodruff, who had a knack for urban development and promotion, built the hotel because he understood the vital role a hotel played in a city's commercial expansion; Woodruff also proved crucial in routing the infamous Route 66 through Springfield.

The Hotel Sansone served as an instrumental component of Springfield, Missouri's business development. The hotel opened at a time when Springfield matured into the commercial hub of southwest Missouri. Less than 1,500 people resided in Springfield in 1960, but the population increased to almost 40,000 when the hotel opened. In 1910, the Springfield Jobbers' and Manufacturers' Association organized, which helped promote and build the city's commercial and industrial interests. 

John T. Woodruff, an area businessman with a passion for growing and promoting Springfield, developed numerous commercial properties in the city, including several buildings downtown. When Woodruff built the ten-story Woodruff Building in 1910, it stood as the largest office building in the Ozarks. Among his many other projects, he helped establish Drury College, and he played a vital role in the routing of Route 66 through Springfield. Woodruff also adhered to the philosophy that commercial development, city growth, and hotel availability went hand-in-hand. Before constructing the Sansone, his company built the 1907 Colonial Hotel, which stood as one of the city's largest hotels for decades.

Thus, Sansone was Woodruff's second hotel project. Like many buildings constructed at the time, the structure enjoyed a "fireproof" design. Designers limited the use of wood in a structural capacity. The building consists of reinforced concrete construction, brick walls, concrete floors, and interior partitions recessed into the concrete floors, which builders believed would slow the spread of fire. Lastly, the design included fire-resistant metal window sashes with wire glass and an exterior metal fire escape.

Woodruff built the hotel specifically for Charles Sansone, a Sicilian immigrant who leased it from 1911 until 1922. Sansone had been a successful restaurateur in Springfield, but Woodruff's hotel would be his first time operating a hotel; he turned the hotel into an instant success. The hotel continued to act as the Sansone until 1926, when the Hotel Springfield Company took over management of the hotel and renamed it Hotel Springfield. They sold the hotel shortly after that, and then ownership changed several times until 1934 when C. W. Flint purchased the historic hotel and changed the name to the Hotel Sterling, which remained its name until 1962.

Hocklander, Sony. "Sterling Hotel, aka Hotel Sansone, built by John T. Woodruff."  Springfield News-Leader (Springfield, MO), November 2, 2014. https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/business/2014/11/01/sterling-hotel-aka-hotel-sansone-built-john-t-woodruff/18360919/.

"John T. Woodruff: Linking Springfield to the Main Street of America." The History Museum On The Square. Accessed September 27, 2022. https://historymuseumonthesquare.org/john-t-woodruff-linking-springfield-to-the-main-street-of-america/.

Fairbanks, Jonathan and Clyde Edwin Tuck. Past and Present of Greene County, Missouri. Volume I. Indianapolis: A.W. Bowen & Company, 1915. https://thelibrary.org/lochist/history/paspres/index.html.

Sheals, Debbie. "Registration Form: Hotel Sansone." National Register of Historic Places. mostateparks.com. 2000. https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Hotel%20Sansone.pdf.

Woodruff, John T. "John T. Woodruff and Missouri Road Building." Ozarks Watch 3, no. 2 (Fall 1993 / Winter 1994).https://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/ozarkswatch/ow702o.htm