Jonathan E. Pierce built the Hotel in 1906. An architect from Victoria, Texas drew up the plans. The design was inspired by Spanish mission churches and was translated into "Anglo" wood-siding construction.
In 1977 the Hotel was given to the Blessing Historical Foundation, and restoration was begun in 1978. In 1979, Hotel Blessing was entered into the National Register of Historic Places, the first official listing for Matagorda County with this distinction.
The Hotel is open for business and it is a very relaxing place to stay. Then when it's time to eat you won't have far to go to get to the Hotel Blessing Coffee Shop.
When we first walked into the Hotel Blessing Coffee Shop I didn't really know what to do. It was a big room with about 10 tables of various types and size, not tightly packed as is common today in the restaurant business. Against the back wall there were two old wood stoves covered with pots and pans full of steaming vittles of ever description.
It didn't help that we probably came through the wrong door. We had entered through the lobby of the Blessing Hotel. I later found the "real" entrance is on the side of the hotel.
I guess we looked lost when Helen Feldhousen, the proprietor of the place, sitting at a back table eating her dinner, said, "Help yourself, grab a plate, the food is on the stove."
Did I say "Old" wood stoves? These were probably the same stoves used to cook dinner for Stephen F. Austin when he came through here in 1828.
The answer to that question is "whatever is on the stove". Today was enchilada casserole. You don't like enchilada casserole? Well there is a whole lot more than that on the stove. There are always three meat dishes and lots of vegetables. There were, green beans (with pieces of bacon in them), new potatoes, creamed corn, lima beans, cabbage, and rice and gravy. My favorite were the "Real" mashed potatoes and gravy. Then of course hot rolls, peach cobble, and ice tea.
Didn't get enough the on the first trip to the stove? Grab another plate and start over.