The Balcony House Bed & Breakfast has been a staple of Imperial, Nebraska for over 25 years. The main property consists of over 4800 sq.ft. with 5 guest suites and a 3 bedroom, 1 bath apartment for the owners’ quarters. Each guest suite has been updated and thoughtfully decorated while maintaining its historic charm.
Land
Located on a corner lot, the large yard that surrounds the Balcony house is a nice place to walk around or just sit and relax.
Improvements
Balcony House Bed & Breakfast – The Balcony House currently operates as an established bed and breakfast or boutique hotel but could be used as a private residence as well. The 5 guest suites are uniquely decorated from the “Romantic Retreat” to the “Upland Game Room”. There is a full kitchen equipped with everything you need to provide a great meal and old fashioned hospitality. The dining room is located just off the kitchen with plenty of space to accommodate all of your guests. Take a step outside and enjoy a cup of coffee or an afternoon snack on the covered porch. The grounds boast beautiful landscaping that has been meticulously maintained with underground sprinklers and mature trees to provide plenty of shade. The caretakers quarters have been recently updated with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms a living room and a family room downstairs with a wet bar and office.
Recreation
Southwest Nebraska is an outdoor recreation paradise with exceptional hunting and fishing opportunities abound. Imperial, is located in the Frenchman Unit for Mule deer which is one of the most coveted areas for quality bucks in the state of Nebraska. Pheasant hunting in the area has historically been very good with consistent numbers of birds making their homes in the area. There is access to thousands of acres of public walk-in hunting and the Balcony House is also within a short drive of both northwest Kansas and northeast Colorado. This gives hunters the opportunity to hunt all three states on the same day if desired. This property is also just a short drive from several local lakes and reservoirs such as Enders Reservoir State Recreation Area (12 miles), Lake McConaughey (60 miles) as well as Swanson Lake, Rock Creek SWA, and Hugh Butler Lake are all within 45 minutes. These lakes offer exceptional fishing and water sports as well as water fowl and big game hunting opportunities.
History
In the beginning
The main structure of the current Balcony House was built in the 1890’s as part of Imperial’s original town school. In ther early 1920’s, the structure was moved to it’s current location by E. E. Widger. Mr. Widger added the north section and added the enclosed balcony on 3 sides of the house.
1920’s & 1930’s
Along with several other buildings on the same block Mr. Widger created a tourist resort called “The Balcony House Hotel and Tourist Camp.” Tourist camps sprang up in the 1920’s and 1930’s as automobile travel grew in popularity. Imperial was located on the DLD (Detroit/Lincoln/Denver) Highway which was a major east/west thoroughfare of that time
1980’s
In later years the Balcony House served as a boarding house, a dormitory for high school students whose families lived out in the country, and small apartments. In the late 1980’s the house was abandoned when the owner moved out of state.
1997
The Balcony House was purchased by Jim and Linda Pirog. The Pirog’s and their family were boating at the beautiful Enders Lake, in the Imperial area. The Pirog’s purchased the Balcony House for a change of life style looking towards retirement.
April, 1999
Renovation of the house began in September of 1997. Over the next 20 months, the Pirog’s spent many weekends with friends, family & local contractors working on the Balcony House. Rather than waiting for retirement, the Pirog’s moved their family to Imperial.
On May 2, 1999
The Balcony House Bed & Breakfast opened for business. The Balcony House was restored with travelers needs in mind with each room being uniquely decorated for your enjoyment.
Location
The Balcony House Bed and Breakfast is located in Imperial, Nebraska which is approximately 4 hours west of Lincoln, Nebraska and 3 hours from Denver and the Front Range of Colorado along Hwy 6. The local airport is just a short drive across town and features a 5022′ x 100′ concrete runway capable of supporting small jets and most any propeller airplane traffic. Imperial, Nebraska is a quiet farming and ranching community with a welcoming and a true pride in ownership feeling.