Columbia, TN Mural: Columbia House Hotel

The Columbia House Hotel
Since 1928
Pleasant Nelson, Prop.
Beverly Hilliard, Mgr.

This is one of seven small murals around the Nelson House Hotel a block north of the Columbia, TN town square. They have been painted by local mural artist Bonnie Callewaert. Three of them are visible in a parking lot next to the historic hotel and the other four are behind the building. Other than Aesthetics, I can't find any info on why or when on these.

Hotel Chisca ghost sign

The Hotel Chisca was built in downtown Memphis in 1913. 100 years later when I took this photo in 2013, I believe the historic Hotel Chisca was vacant. We had a ghost painted sign and an empty scaffolding sign. Since then, it has been redeveloped into the Stay Alfred at Chisca. Since then, the sign has been repainted. When I look at Google Street View from 2018, the scaffolding said LYFE Kitchen, but it appears that restaurant is now out of business.

From 1949-56, the hotel was the home of the radio program "Red, Hot and Blue" on WHBQ. This was notable as Dewey Phillips was the first to broadcast an Elvis record on July 7, 1954. Later, Elvis's first radio interview was conducted here.

When the hotel closed in 1971, it was acquired to be the headquarters of the Church of God in Christ denomination. They abandoned the building in the late 1990s.

The Oliver Hotel sign - Knoxville

Hotel St. Oliver is located in the 1875 Kern Building in Knoxville's Market Square.

Nelson House Hotel - Columbia, TN

The Nelson House, also known as the Columbia House Hotel was built in 1828 with Pleasant Nelson as the proprietor. For many years, it was the area's premier hotel including stays by President Andrew Jackson and future President Andrew Johnson. During the Civil War, Confederate Lt. Andrew Wills Gould died here after a clash with Nathan Bedford Forrest. After an ambush and defeat, Forrest held Gould responsible for the defeat. When they met at the Masonic Hall down the road, Gould shot Forrest, who stabbed Gould. Forrest quickly recovered but Gould died at the hotel after a massive infection.

The Peabody Hotel neon sign

The Peabody Hotel is the most famous grand hotel of Downtown Memphis. This neon sign is atop the building. This view is from around Beale St.

The Fitzpatrick Hotel (Maybe haunted) - Washington, GA

The Fitzpatrick Hotel on the Washington, GA town square dates back to 1898. It closed in the 1950s but reopened in 2004 after thorough refurbishment. The National Register of Historic Places property features Queen Anne architecture style with fantastic details inside and out.

My wife and I loved the look of it and decided to spend the night here on a whim. After we got settled in, a family member write to tell me it is haunted. I had an opportunity to walk around and explore and photograph much of the building.

I turned these photos into a narrated slideshow which you can view on Youtube here: If you just wanted to see photos without narration:
seemidtn.com/gallery/index.php?album=Outside_Tennessee%2F...

In the Narration, I tell the story of how we decided to stay here, what's different because of Social distancing, and how I learned it was haunted. I tell the popular ghost legends associated with the hotel. Then I show off our room 100 and the experience of staying here. Finally, I show off building details outside and in.

Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel - Happy Valentine's Day

Heartbreak Hotel is a hotel owned and operated by the same people that operate Graceland. Located along Elvis Presley Blvd. (US51) in Memphis, it is conveniently across the street from Graceland. Based on older pictures I have seen, they must have used to have an old-fashioned neon sign and I'm sad that I have missed it.

The Renfro Hotel - Park City, KY

This old Hotel was built in the center of town right by the tracks in 1903, when the town was known as Glasgow Junction. It was built next door to the ruins of Bell's Tavern along the old Louisville and Nashville stagecoach turnpike.

The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places because of it's architectural significance.

Old Talbott Tavern - Bardstown, KY

Located in Bardstown's town square, this building has been in use since 1797 (although has 1779 above the door). First is was used as a mercantile business but soon became a tavern. George Talbott operated it s the Newman House from 1885 to 1912. Afterwards, it became the Talbott Hotel - The Tavern. Over the years, it has been visited by he famous and the infamous.

Today, it operates as a restaurant and a Bed & Breakfast and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Talbott_Tavern

Gilley's Hotel - Bull's Gap, TN

The Bull's Gap website has the full story on this railroad hotel which was rebuilt in 1884: www.bullsgaptn.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=a...

the Tennessee Preservation Trust added this to the 2014 Ten in Tennessee: a yearly list of threatened historic sites. Here is their write-up:
Historical Significance: Gilley’s Hotel is listed as a contributing resource of the Bulls Gap Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is described in Section 7 of the National Register nomination at items 29 and 30. The East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad constructed the first railroad tracks to serve northeastern Tennessee in the 1850s. The tracks came through what is now Bulls Gap. The Smith Hotel was built at that time to serve passengers and railroad employees. The original hotel was destroyed by fire and the building that stands today was constructed in its place. Rufus Henry Gilley acquired the property in the early 1900s and it was at that time that the building became known as Gilley’s Hotel. It stands as a monument to, and a reminder of, an era when the railroad served as the primary mode of passenger transportation in the United States. Gilley’s Hotel is associated with historic events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of the history of Bulls Gap.
www.tennesseepreservationtrust.org/ten-in-tn/2014-ten-in-...

Hotel Lindo - Covington, TN

The three-story Hotel Lindo was completed in 1901 on the northwest corner of the Covington Town Square, and opened for business in 1902. Today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for is significance in Social History and it Italianate and Romanesque architecture. Not used as a hotel for decades, today it has been restored and used for office space.

Neely House hotel - Jackson, TN

The following information was copied from the Jackson recreation website: www.jacksonrecandparks.com/media/leagues/3046/graphics/Fi...

The Neely house listed on the national register of historic places as the Murphy Hotel February 11, 1993 as an example of a railroad Hotel. The hotel remains intact and substantially unaltered today from its original appearance. The hotel was built of brick in the Modern-Classical style between 1910-1912. The large two story porch on the main facade was built with fluted columns and scroll-like ornament capitals. The hotel is described as a modern hotel in in every detail, with hot and cold running water in every room. The interior was designed with twenty-two hotel rooms, nine fireplaces, and three bathrooms on each floor. The hotel catered to salesmen and travelers who arrived in Jackson at the NCStL Depot across the street. Tradition states that Mr. Neely would meet trains at 4:00am to hand out coffee and sandwiches to promote the hotel. Mr. Neely was recognized as one of best hotel caterers in West Tennessee. The hotel was operated by the Neely family for the next thirty years and became one of Jackson's best known hotel building.

In 1946 Mrs. Lillie Neely sold the hotel for $5,000 to Mr. Robert J. Murphy. Since, it has been identified as the Murphy Hotel for over 50 years. Mr. Murphy was an area farmer and
purchased the hotel as a business investment. During the 1950's and 1960's passenger rail travel along the railroad declined and the hotel relied less and less on rail travelers for business.

Although Mr. Murphy died in 1960, his two daughters continued to operate the hotel. The adjacent depot was closed to passenger rail traffic in 1967 and bus traffic in 1970's, the hotel remained open to both travelers and permanent residents till 1996.

The city of Jackson, TN. purchased the hotel in 1997 with hopes of preserving the hotel by converting the structure into a children's museum About the time the children's museum was going to open, the tornado of 2003 took its toll on the hotel. The building was under insured and badly damaged. The Children's museum chose to move to a new building.

In 2005 the building was acquired by Hal Crocker of Crocker Construction Co. Mr. Crocker has worked closely with the Tennessee Historic Commission to restore The Neely House to its original beauty. The Hotel still features its original doors, mantles, light fixtures, bathroom fixtures and similar details. The Neely House ( Murphy Hotel ) is Jackson's only remaining example of a railroad Hotel.

Cameron-Patton Hotel - South Pittsburg, TN

Along the main road (old US72) through the heart of South Pittsburg, TN

I don't have any info about this former hotel other than the name of the building on the side, in addition to the classic Drink Coca-Cola mural.

Lorraine Hotel Neon Sign - Memphis, TN

As America honors Martin Luther King, Jr. on the third Monday in January, I'd like to share this photo of the National Civil Rights Museum that promotes the vision that Dr. King embraced.

Walter Bailey purchased the Windsor Hotel in 1945 and renamed it the Lorraine Motel. Located close the the center of Memphis, during the days of segregation the motel catered to an upscale black clientele.

In April 1968, King traveled to Memphis in support of striking sanitation workers. King stayed in room 306, located on the second floor of the Lorraine Motel. At 6:01 PM on April 4, 1968 while he was standing on the balcony outside his room, King was struck by a single bullet, causing him to fall backwards unconscious.

Following the assassination, Bailey left Room 306 undisturbed. While the Motel remained open for a few more years, Bailey worked to preserve the motel as a historic site raising funds to Save the Lorraine. The Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation bought the motel in 1982. The Motel officially closed in 1998 as the property transformed into a museum.

For architectural designs, the museum called upon McKissack & McKissack from Nashville, the first African American architecture firm in America. After purchasing adjoining property, the museum opened in Sept. 1991.

Today, on the grounds of the museum, a wreath is placed at the balcony where King was hit. The original sign for the museum has been preserved outside. From this iconic photo from the balcony there are two cars visible below, and there are replicas of these two cars at the museum today. For now, customers of the museum are allowed to look into the window of Room 306.

The King's Heartbreak Hotel faded sign - Memphis

Located down the road along Marshall Ave. from Sun Records is this faded ad. I don't know, but I guess it was an actual hotel at one time.

Chattanooga Choo Choo sign in the day

This is the sign atop the Chattanooga Choo Choo, the hotel and tourist stop inside Chattanooga's Terminal Station

Hotel Halbrook Museum at Dusk - Dickson, TN

Once known as Edwards Hotel, this building was built in 1912 and now on the National Register of Historic Places. Once common, it is rare these days to find a small town railroad hotel, as this one is located across the street from the Dickson Depot.

The hotel has another local interest claim to fame as in 1920 it was the birthplace of Frank Clement who went on to become the Governor of Tennessee and father of Congressman Bob Clement. At the time of his birth, the Hotel was operated by his parents. The street in Dickson has been renamed to Frank G. Clement Place.

In 2009, the Hotel opened as the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum featuring exhibits on railroads, the Clement family and local history.
www.clementrailroadmuseum.org/

St. Andrews & Hotel Roanoke as seen from Mill Mountain

In Roanoke, the best view of the city is provided at Mill Mountain, where you can also walk around the base of the Roanoke Star. From the observation deck, I brought out my best telephoto lens to zoom in on downtown. St. Andrews Catholic Church is the gothic church building at the top. The historic Hotel Roanoke is the widest building in the middle. Across the bottom, you can see glimpses of the old N&W passenger station, the Taubman Museum of Art and the old Market Square building.

Chattanooga Choo-Choo

Originally known as Chattanooga's Terminal Station, this formerly important Passenger train depot now serves as a popular hotel.

The station was built in 1908 and the centerpiece of the building was a large concourse. (Inside is a large dome.

In 1970, train service stopped and a few years later it became the Chattanooga Choo-Choo hotel. The large concourse is today the main lobby.

On top of the building is the famous sign. Here is the sign at night.

Imperial Hotel - Monterey, TN

As it says painted on the side, the hotel opened in 1909 at this location as a railroad hotel near Monterey's train station. Passenger service stopped in the area several decades ago, so the Imperial stopped operating as a hotel soon after. However, since then, they remained opened as a ballroom and meeting or banquet space.

About a year ago in 2012, the Hotel was in the news. With a building this old, it became too costly to continue to meet codes, so it completely closed after a court battle. Also, the stairs and awning on the longer south side was removed to make way for a path to the new Monterey Museum and Depot which is now between the hotel and the tracks.