In addition to welcoming visitors, the hotel had something to offer to Fort Collins residents for many years. Serving the public’s growing love affair with the automobile, it housed the first chapter of the AAA. During World War II, the hotel was used as a barracks for the U.S. Army. Many long-term residents of the Armstrong also considered the hotel their home. As the hotel changed hands, its name changed as well—first to the Empire Hotel, and later, the Mountain Empire Hotel. No matter the proprietor, it is a source of pride that this hotel has always been family-owned and operated.