The Leland House

History

Explore the Historic Legacy of The Leland House

Discover Durango’s Past, Present, and Future at the Leland House

A remarkable historic building and landmark on Second Avenue, The Leland House Suites’ legacy entwines with the history of the city of Durango itself. Looking into the history of the building, one is transported into the history of the people who envisioned, built, and grew the city.

Having at one time been apartments, The Leland House architecture and design is a nod to local Durango living from decades past. The Leland House has been completely updated with modern amenities while retaining the suites and apartments that were part of the original design. Lola’s Place–originally a family home–has stood next door through decades of change on East Second Avenue and the rest of Durango.

Read more about the remarkable history associated with The Leland House by reading Frederick B. Wildfang’s research, below!

“With so much change in Durango and the surrounding area, we felt really good about keeping this property in local hands, and honoring and continuing the legacy.”

– Tonya Ensign, Co-Owner

The Leland Legacy

by Frederick B. Wildfang

Click each image to read about the people and events that shaped The Leland House Suites.

Historical writing about the Leland House

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A history of entrepreneurship, family owned businesses, and exceptional guest experiences.

The Leland House Suites of Durango and Lola’s Place have both family and entrepreneurship built into their bones.

The building that is now Lola’s Place was originally built in 1890 by T.C. Graden, one of Durango’s most famous entrepreneurs. It was a family home for many years and eventually fell into disrepair.

When Diane Wildfang and her son, Kirk Komick, bought the property, they applied to the state historical society for funds to restore the building and were told not to bother. Consequently, they restored it at their own expense and converted it to a restaurant with a commercial kitchen that was once the breakfast place of the Leland House and Rochester Hotels.

Wildfang and Komick named the restaurant Lola’s Place.

Lola’s Place (before restoration)

Lola’s Place (restored and operating as the original Lola’s Place)

In 1997, Alison Dance bought the building from Diane Wildfang and Kirk Komick and renamed the restaurant The Cyprus Cafe. It was owned and operated by Dance for more than 20 years as a high end Mediterranean restaurant. In 2021, the Ensign family bought the Leland House from Diane Wildfang and Kirk Komick along with the Cypress Cafe from Alison Dance. The Ensign’s remodeled the cafe and restored its original name, Lola’s Place, to honor its historical connection to the Leland House (named after Leland and Lola Hill).

The Cyprus Cafe

Lola’s Place (remodeled in 2021 by the Ensign Family)

The Leland House was built in 1927 by P.W. Pittman who also built other iconic buildings in Durango including The Smiley Building. The Pittmans owned and operated this property as the Pittman Apartments for about 22 years. It is believed to have been named The Leland House (after Leland Hill) when it was purchased by the family of J. Walter Hill. Diane Wildfang and Kirk Komick restored The Leland House and converted it to a hotel (along with the Rochester Hotel across the street) in the early 1990s. They owned and operated these two hotels for over 25 years. In 2021, the Ensign family purchased The Leland House from Wildfang and Komick and remodeled the charming 11 suite inn. Today, the Ensign family continues the tradition of operating a boutique, family-owned hotel with exceptional guest service. History has come full circle by reuniting The Leland House with Lola’s Place next door under the ownership of the Ensigns.