Chilhowee Inn
Encyclopedia
Chilhowee Inn was an inn built by the Schlosser Leather Company in 1902 in Walland
, Tennessee
. It was constructed as a 5 room cottage to house executives visiting the nearby tannery. This was the last stop of the Knoxville and Augusta line of the Southern Railway System, and the starting point for the Little River Railroad
. The Inn was named by Mrs. Rachel Fisher, wife of the builder, Mr. A. J. Fisher who was also superintendent of the tannery.
One year after completion, an inn was added to the structure to provide accommodations for additional guests and teachers. The inn was used as a boarding house for teachers at the public school during the school year. The rent was paid for by the tannery.
After the tannery shut down in the early 1930's, the inn became a nationally renowned lodge for people visiting the newly formed Great Smoky Mountains National Park
. Excellent service and delicious meals prompted visitors to speak and write of their time spent at Chilhowee Inn. The inn appeared in many national publications of the time.
After its heyday, Chilhowee Inn spent a brief time as a restaurant, serving the local community of Walland. It lay dormant for almost three decades until new owners began to restore it in 2005. Chilhowee Inn opened as a bed and breakfast in February 2008 which makes it the oldest actively operating inn in Blount County
.
The building was considered for listing on the National Register of Historic Places
as part of a survey of historic properties in Blount County, but because of several remodelings after 1931, it was found ineligible.
Walland, Tennessee
Walland is an unincorporated community in Blount County, Tennessee, in the Southeastern United States. Walland is the site of a post office and is the place name associated with zip code 37886, which covers an area beyond the Walland community...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. It was constructed as a 5 room cottage to house executives visiting the nearby tannery. This was the last stop of the Knoxville and Augusta line of the Southern Railway System, and the starting point for the Little River Railroad
Little River Railroad (Tennessee)
The Little River Railroad is a historic class III railroad that operated between Maryville and Elkmont, Tennessee during the period 1901 to 1939.-History:...
. The Inn was named by Mrs. Rachel Fisher, wife of the builder, Mr. A. J. Fisher who was also superintendent of the tannery.
One year after completion, an inn was added to the structure to provide accommodations for additional guests and teachers. The inn was used as a boarding house for teachers at the public school during the school year. The rent was paid for by the tannery.
After the tannery shut down in the early 1930's, the inn became a nationally renowned lodge for people visiting the newly formed Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee and North...
. Excellent service and delicious meals prompted visitors to speak and write of their time spent at Chilhowee Inn. The inn appeared in many national publications of the time.
After its heyday, Chilhowee Inn spent a brief time as a restaurant, serving the local community of Walland. It lay dormant for almost three decades until new owners began to restore it in 2005. Chilhowee Inn opened as a bed and breakfast in February 2008 which makes it the oldest actively operating inn in Blount County
Blount County, Tennessee
Blount County is a U.S. county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its population was 123,010 at the United States Census, 2010. The county seat is at Maryville, which is also the county's largest city....
.
The building was considered for listing on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as part of a survey of historic properties in Blount County, but because of several remodelings after 1931, it was found ineligible.