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In the spring of 1865, Alexander and Susannah McKee moved their family to Centerville abercrombie sale , Iowa. Mr. McKee traded forty acres of land, four horses, one wagon, and a harness for a store, house, and a lot where The Continental now stands. The building was originally arranged as a hotel and was known as the “Jefferson House” or “Wagon Home” in 1866. In 1892, the building burned to the ground, resulting in the death of Susannah McKee. The hotel was rebuilt in 1893, and the superstructure of the building has not changed since, although the businesses in it have. Most of its life, the building has served as a hotel until the early 1990s. But after years of changes and economic fluctuations, the building began to deteriorate and soon the roof collapsed allowing animals to inhabit the building. The Continental seemed destined for demolition. This action, many feared, would be the beginning of the end for Centerville’s business district on the “World’s Largest Town Square.
In 1996, a successful business man and native to the Centerville area, Morgan Cline, returned to the square and saw the beauty in The Continental. With a love for old architecture and his generosity, he restored the building. Today, The Continental operates as two businesses. It is both an apartment building for the well-elderly as well as one of the area’s leading restaurants. The apartments are varied in size and range from large one-bedroom corner units overlooking the Courthouse/Courtyard on the Centerville Square… to the equally large front-facing units, units on the side, units on the interior and studio units on the interior of our courtyard.
The elegantly restored dining room comfortably seats residents for their (optional) three full meals each day. Meals are served restaurant style with linen table cloth, napkins and candlelight adding to the beautiful atmosphere of dining. Elegant dining on food prepared to resident’s personal tastes has become a hallmark of The Continental lifestyle.
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