The Harris Hotel opened in 1904 (on the corner of Rennie and Main Street) and was rated by the traveling public as one of the Territory’s finest. E.E. Parnell was the first manager. The hotel maintained an excellent dining room, spacious sample rooms, a billiard parlor, and all the modern comforts desired by travelers. The Harris Hotel was known far and wide for its excellent service and cuisine.
The owner, Sam Harris, originally a wholesaler from Shawnee, was one of the earliest investors in Ada property. He first built four one-story buildings on the site and then added the second story to provide eighty hotel rooms.
The exceptional accommodations soon made Ada the weekend mecca for the traveling men, and the hotel was the scene of many early banquets and social functions. A Vice President of the United States, the Hon. Charles W. Fairbanks, made an early morning speech from a specially erected platform in front of the hotel in October 1906.
The original building had only two stories; it is not certain when the upper story was added. The Harris Hotel was purchased in the 1930’s and renamed the “Juliana” in honor of its new owner, Julia Mae Smith. Mrs. Smith and her husband had struck oil near Fittstown, Oklahoma, and did much to develop the Ada business community.
The hotel and businesses inside remained a staple in the Ada community for several decades.
In later years, and after tales from locals and visitors alike that the hotel had taken on a shadier side, the hotel was torn down in the late 1980’s. At this point, it had been unoccupied for several years.
To honor its memory, Juliana Park was dedicated on July 10, 1991.
In 2021, thanks to the Penny for our City Sales Tax, a Main Street Reconstruction Project began. When completed, the project will feature new sidewalks, traffic signals, streetlights, all new electrical, brick pavers, landscaping, and new curb and gutters. It is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2022.
Juliana Park is currently being rehabbed as well. Bricks have been removed and will be replaced with new ones. A new stage area, pergola, trees, lighting, and water feature will add a welcoming presence to visitors and shoppers alike. The rock on the new water feature comes from rock quarried near Byrds Mill Spring, which is Ada’s water source.
The new and enhanced Juliana Park will once again be a great place to relax and reminisce in downtown Ada!
