Way Back Wednesday in Calhoun County---September 5-11

Most people remember the hotels of Calhoun County as the Anniston Inn, The Alabama, The Wilmer in Anniston and the Iron Queen in Jacksonville. All of these hotels were boomtime (1880s-1900s) hotels. These hotels were much different than the early taverns in Calhoun County. Taverns of the 1830s were stops on a stagecoach line where travelers could get a drink of ale, a meal, and a bed for the night. They were often the local centers of town where meetings were held.

Not long after Jacksonville was incorporated, it became the county seat of Benton, later Calhoun County. Aaron Hayes opened a “House of Entertainment” in the brick two-story building on the northeast corner of the square (currently Swank Boutique) in May 1838. The building was a stop on the stage lines that passed through Jacksonville to other parts of Alabama and Georgia. S. D. McClelen took over the business in 1868 and announced permanent boarders would pay $15 and transient rates would be reasonable. In 1869, Robert Alexander and Son leased the property and ran the establishment as the Planter’s Hotel.

In 1840, John Ramey took over the Tavern stand at the west side of the square. The business had been known as the Jacksonville Hotel when it was operated by W. B. Hollingsworth. Ramey assured the patrons of the tavern he would continue to stock choice liquors. William C. Kelly took over the proprietorship from Ramey in 1842. By the mid-1840s, Aaron Cantrell operated this house of entertainment as Cantrell’s Hotel. By 1851, C. Sublett had taken over from Cantrell. Sublett assured patrons that the establishment would accommodate regular boarders and transient customers. In addition to boarding, the stables would be well-stocked to meet the customers’ needs.

These two buildings on the east and west side of the square were the primary lodging establishments in town. In the 1860s, there were additional lodging spaces created. J. H. Sargeant opened a new hotel and stage house in February 1863 at Jacksonville on the site of the old James H. Privett stables. The stables were just north of the town square. A short time later, the Jacksonville Hotel reopened on the west side of the square. The hotel was closed for repairs and renovation. After the renovation, Proprietor J. D. Hammond could accommodate about 24 boarders in addition to the servants. In the early 1870s, the American Hotel, operated by J. L. Whisenant, opened on the West side of the Jacksonville Square. The hotel was renovated once again to create larger rooms and better ventilation.

Since Jacksonville was the county seat it was only proper that there were taverns and hotels. As the other cities in the county began developing in the 1850s, these cities also established hotels. The hotel development increased when the railroads arrived in the 1860s. Oxford and Cross Plains (Piedmont) were two of the small towns that benefited from the railroads.

One of the earliest hotels in Oxford was operated by founder Dudley Snow; but, by the early 1860s, Snow’s public house was for sale. The two-story brick building was located near the railroad depot. The grounds included a kitchen, servants’ quarters, and a smokehouse. The Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad was near completion which made the property an attractive purchase. In 1862, W. B. Turnipseed opened a house of entertainment in Oxford near the depot. The establishment would house both regular boarders and travelers. By the early 1870s, Oxford had a new brick hotel operated by S. C. Kelly, which was available for travelers. In addition to the hotel, Kelly also operated a livery and sale stable called the “Sign of the Horned Horse”.

During the 1870s, Calhoun County saw a rise in boarding houses to accommodate travelers. One boarding house in the northern part of the county was the Cross Plains House. The proprietors, A. S. Johnson and J. N. Hood, were in the process of completing the structure. This rise in boarding houses coincided with the arrival of the railroads to Calhoun County. Cross Plains, Jacksonville, and Oxford all had train depots.

In the mid-1870s, hotels were being built or refurbished to accommodate busy travelers who were looking for certain amenities. In 1876, Cross Plains (Piedmont) had a new hotel operated by L. Ferguson. The hotel was located in a brick building at the corner of the square. At the same time, the Jacksonville Hotel advertised their new comfortable rooms. In addition, there was a large room for traveling salesmen to exhibit their wares. The hotel, under the operation of J. D. Hammond, offered boarding by the day or week. The business also served meals for 50 cents. The Jacksonville Hotel had an adjacent livery and stables that offered hacks, wagons, buggies, and horses at all times. The other option in Jacksonville was Wyly House on the southeast corner of the public square known as Old Forney Corner. The proprietor John M. Wyly made improvements to the accommodations and offered boarding by the day or week as well as meals. These establishments would soon see their businesses wane when the booming 1880s led to the construction of large hotels in Jacksonville and Anniston.

To learn more about the history of Calhoun County pick up a copy of Images of America: Calhoun County (ISBN 978-0738589985), Anniston (ISBN 978-0738506012), or Anniston Revisited (ISBN 978-1467114752) by Kimberly O’Dell.