This hotel was built in 1917 in Wartrace, TN as a railroad Hotel, as it sits near the center of town where the depot used to be. 21 years later, the original owners, Jesse and Nora Overall sold the property to Floyd and Olive Carothers.
Floyd had a reputation as a first class horse trainer, and the next year bought a young horse by the name of Strolling Jim. Soon afterward, that horse won a new festival celebrating the new breed of Tennessee Walking Horses. That festival has since turned into a world class event held every year in nearby Shelbyville and Wartrace is now known as the birthplace of the Tennessee Walking Horse. Strolling Jim strolled for many years in the pasture behind the hotel, and is now buried back there.
I first learned of this hotel in the mid 80's when I was about 10 and my family made the 90 minute drive from Nashville for Thanksgiving lunch. For my return visit 20 years later, the place is absolutely nothing like the way I remembered it.
More recently, the hotel was purchased by a local musician, Joe Peters, in honor of his wife who died of cancer, but she fell in love with the building soon before she died. The Music Hall inside is now named after her.
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