Marion County Kansas: Past and Present has this to say about the historic hotel: 

 

The most elegant of Marion hotels was the Elgin which was built for $25,000 in 1886.  Its three stories were built of magnesium limestone cut by stone cutters Simon Weidenbener and Fred Frobenius.  The Elgin celebrated its grand opening September 15, 1886 with a banquet and ball. 

 

For many years the Elgin was often the site of school and club banquets, Kiwanis noon luncheons, family reunions and other formal or informal gatherings.  Travelers coming in on the Rock Island or Santa Fe stayed overnight; salesmen used it as their headquarters while peddling their wares in the county.

 

The Elgin closed in the late 1950s.  Neglect and deterioration made it an eyesore.  It was saved in the 1970s and turned into modern apartments.  An extensive renovation was completed in 2009 transforming it into The Historic Elgin Hotel B & B.