According to information from the Gallery of History, the original hotel was built in 1889 by Lawritz Triis.
It was only a small, one-storey building on the railway lines at Mangatera, "one and three-quarter miles from the Dannevirke Post Office", as written in the Cyclopedia of New Zealand published in 1908.
That one burnt down just a year later.
A new two-storey hotel was built in its place, only to burn down again in October 1954.
An account was given of the incident in the Dannevirke News.
"Before 7pm the flames were leaping more than 100 feet into the air in the most spectacular blaze seen in Dannevirke since the Cosmopolitan Buildings, High Street, were destroyed in January, 1948. The glow from the blazing building was clearly visible from all parts of Dannevirke and from country areas some 30 miles distant."
The account said by about 7.30pm the fire was contained in a heap of wreckage.
One person, a 60-year-old farmer, died in the blaze.
The hotel was rebuilt and has been open since then. A warehouse was built in the 1980s for a bottle store.
Howie said he had been marketing the sale nationwide and had a good level of interest.
Those wanting to make an offer have until September 10, after which the present owner will begin negotiations.
