The Story
In 1906 Glen Inglis bought the log cabin that had been the office of the closed McLaughlin sawmill; in 1909 he and his wife Doris opened the Glendoris Inn, the canyon's first lodge. In 1919 new owners renamed it the Latchstring Inn, after the pioneer custom of leaving a door's latchstring out to signal visitors were welcome. The inn declined after the canyon railroad closed in 1934; by 1989, under Homestake ownership, the original buildings were judged beyond repair and demolished, with a new log building (today's Latchstring Restaurant and Spearfish Canyon Lodge) built on the site.
Surprising Facts
→ The name comes from the frontier "latchstring out" custom for signaling hospitality.
→ Despite local lore, there was no fire — the original was demolished in 1989 due to structural decay.
→ The building standing today dates only to 1989, though the business traces to 1909.