The Lusk Herald, August 13, 1886

Dennis Collins has had plans and specifications drawn up and has sent for lumber for a very fine hotel at Lusk. It will be situated near the depot  on the corner of Main and First streets, having a frontage of 60 feet on the former and 80 feet on the latter. It will contain 34 rooms, will have a porch the full length on both streets and will be two stories high. A windmill will be drawn from a faucet in every room. Success to the Collins House.

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The Lusk Herald, December 10, 1886

The Collins House, which has been in progress of erection for the past two months, was opened to an appreciative public last Tuesday. This hotel has a frontage of 60 feet on Main street, is two stories high with a porch extending around on both sides. the office door is a the corner of the building, and on entering one finds himself in an office fitted up in the latest style. This room is 20x30. From this you can step into the well furnished sample room 12x24 which also opens onto Main street. The wash room also opens off the office and is fitted up with a marble wash sink, etc. The dining room is a well lighted apartment 24x30, and has accommodations for seating 48. 

The tables are furnished with the finest silver and glassware, and the splendid dining chairs make a stron contrast when compared with the benches we used to sit on at the restaurants in the old town. The kitchen contains a ten hole wrought iron range with three large ovens, and off from this room is the well fitted laundry. A bath room with hot and cold water faucets is situated back of the toilet room. On the second floor are two large parlors, the windows are hung with lace curtains, the floor covered with Brussels carpet, and furnished with beautiful upholstered walnut furniture. There are 26 carpeted sleeping apartments, most ow which contain stoves, dressing bureaus with mirror attached and walnut beds and chairs. There are two carloads of furniture and one of stoves in the building. 

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The Lusk Herald, December 26, 1907

We are sorry to announce that Dennis Collins, of whom we spoke last week as being critically ill, died Sunday (December 22, 1907) at his home in Ainsworth, Nebraska. Mr. Collins was among the first to locate in Lusk and built the fist and only hotel the town ever had, running the same for several years, after which he moved to Nebraska. "Uncle Den" as we all called him, counted his friends by his acquaintance, all of whom will be sorry to learn of his passing to the great beyond.  Although he lived to reach the ripe age of 75 years, we feel that his taking away was too soon fir a man of his character. Peace to his ashes.

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The Lusk Herald, December 8, 1910

The Collins House, which has been in process of erection for the past two months was opened to an appreciative public last Tuesday. The Collins House is first class in all the words imply, and Mr. Dennis Collins proposes to conduct the hotel in a manner which will attract custom and give the town a good name, and his efforts should be encouraged by everyone who has the good of Lusk at heart.

Note:  The Collins House was the first large hotel, near the train depot, where he worked with his son-in-law, Sam Barnard. Mr. Collins also established a mercantile business in Douglas with Ral Collins, according to J.K. Calkins, Feb. 10, 1932.

The Collins House of Lusk was described at the "finest hotel in the northwest" in the December 10, 1886 issue of The Lusk Herald. It had 40 carpeted rooms, beautiful upholstered furniture, and a dazzling array of silver and glassware.