Robert Mason, the original owner of the Franklin lived in the Underwood hotel and kept his car in a garage behind the hotel.
The Underwood Hotel was first opened for business in 1908, serving the new mill town of Chase and the Shuswap area of central British Columbia. It was built by Albert (Dick) Underwood and his wife Regina who had moved to Chase from Minnesota. Dick brought a carpenter with him from the USA to construct the building and used material shipped to the new hotel from Vancouver, B.C. At the time it was built the hotel was an impressive commitment to the future of the Chase area. The building features a number of elements that show the type of anticipation for development that investors were willing to make in Chase. Over the years the building has maintained its use as a hotel and public house. It is still a dominant feature of downtown Chase.
The hotel is currently owned by Tony Hicaviello and even though renovations are being undertaken, it is open daily for business. The restaurant is a popular casual meeting place for local residents.
The accompanying photographs depict the hotel as it was and what we see today.
