The building (located at 5 Seventh Avenue South, adjacent to the Waldorf Hotel) was originally built by Major Alonzo Edwards who used it to publish the Argus, an early Fargo newspaper. It was converted to a hotel (date unknown) run by Clarence Martin (former owner of the Sherman House) and named the Martin Hotel. A baggage/hat/coat claim token from the martin is shown right.

Clarence Martin sold his hotel to William Prescott in 1900, who named it the Prescott Hotel. William Prescott formerly ran the Prescott Hotel in Grand Forks from 1889 to 1900. He would later go on to operate the Dacotah Hotel in 1914.

In 1910, the Prescott was advertising 50 rooms with electric lights, steam heat, and "baths convenient to every room" for $1.50 to $2.00 per day on the American plan. The hotel had a parlor on the second floor and a dining room. A plate from the dining room is shown below. The photograph of the Prescott Hotel to the right was taken in 1911.

It was to become the Shields Hotel by 1923 and, later, the YWCA. It has since been torn down.