Gafford Hotel was one of the first hotels in Davisville. The proprietor was J.W. Gafford, a Missouri native who had become moderately wealthy after trying his hand at several occupations in California. In 1874, at around the age of 40, he arrived in Davis and used his money to build a considerably large two-story building. Judging from Sanborn maps of the time, it looks as though the second story housed the hotel rooms while he rented out the lower floor to other businesses. The whole building took up about half a city block, and if it was around today, would be situated near the corner of 2nd Street and G Street, where businesses such as The Artery and Davis Barber Shop currently stand. The hotel later changed hands and became Hunt Hotel, and, many years after that, Hotel Etna.
