Charles Jackson came to Anoka to build himself a hotel. Born in Sweden in 1848, Jackson immigrated first to Michigan in 1866 and then to St. Paul where he married Lettie Everson in 1876. They moved to Anoka the next year where he purchased his first hotel, the old wooden Anoka House, which he insured for $1,500. (It was worth $2,000.) Good thing he did. The hotel burned to the ground in 1884 along with the rest of downtown Anoka, so the next year Jackson built himself another hotel, located on Jackson Street. Beginning with the center portion in 1885, Jackson added the cupolas on either side in 1888 and 1905. Having named the grand new structure “The Jackson Hotel,” the question remained: Was the street the hotel was on named for Charles Jackson, hotelier, as well? Or for Andrew Jackson, U.S. president?
The Jackson Hotel was situated at the hub of water, rail and overland trade routes. It began as a working man’s hotel, catering to loggers who would come to the Jackson and enjoy themselves in grand style after spending the winter months in the logging camps. There they could get supper, bed and breakfast for 50 cents. Many would spend all their money in two days, partying and drinking and fighting, which sometimes resulted in the loss of an ear or nose as well as their wages, so back to the forests they would go to work another month.
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