At the time it opened, the ten-story, 150-room hotel was the tallest structure in Bismarck, and would retain this distinction until the new North Dakota State Capitol was completed in 1934.

Alexander McKenzie was an influential person in local politics, and is often credited with moving the capital of Dakota Territory to Bismarck.

Several presidents had also paid a visit to the Patterson Hotel, including Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson.

[citation needed] Until the completion of Interstate 94 in 1965, all major eastbound traffic was served by U.S. Highway 10, which ran straight through downtown Bismarck.

However, with the opening of the interstate, all traffic was shifted to the north, and it directly affected all types of business in downtown Bismarck, including hotels.