Historic Bed & Breakfast Inns in
Michigan, Kentucky and VirginiaNational House Inn, Marshall Michigan
The National House Inn on Marshall's picturesque Fountain Circle is the oldest operating hotel in the State of Michigan. It has been designated as a State Historical Site and is also listed on the National Register of Historical Places. The Inn was built in 1835 by Colonel Andrew Mann who used lumber from the Ketchum sawmill and bricks that were molded and fired on the site to construct what has endured as the oldest brick building in Calhoun County.
Located two dusty days and nights by stagecoach from Detroit, the National House served as a welcome halfway haven for early travelers on the way to Chicago. With the arrival of the Michigan Central Railroad in 1844, the Inn's fortunes became closely tied to the "Iron Horse," and its function for the next 30 years was that of a railroad hotel.
In 1878, having gone through several owners and changes of name, the National House closed its doors as a hotel, the victim of dining cars and Pullman sleepers. At that time the building was converted to a factory devoted to the manufacture of windmills and farm wagons. An 1895 photograph of the Inn in this capacity is on display in the lobby.
In 1902 the building was purchased by Dr. Dean, a local veterinarian, who remodeled the National House into eight luxury apartments. As Dean's Flats, the Inn passed the first three-quarters of the 20th century gradually falling into misuse and disrepair.
By 1976 it was clear that something had to be done. Help arrived in the form of dedicated restorationists Norm and Kathryn Kinney and Hal and Jacque Minick. As a bicentennial gift to the community, they proposed to restore the National House to its original purpose, that of a quaint country inn. Through hard work, imagination and volunteer efforts from friends in Marshall, it reopened for business on Thanksgiving of 1976. Today, the current owners continuously upgrade and renovate this nationally recognized bed and breakfast inn. Read more about the National House Inn.
Beaumont Inn, Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Constructed in 1845, the building which is now the Main Inn at The Beaumont Inn was a school for young ladies of our grandmothers' and greatgrandmothers' day. It was owned by Dr. Samuel Mullins and operated as Greenville Institute until 1855.
For the next forty years, the school was known as Daughters' College and was under the direction of Mr. John Augustus Williams, former president of the University of Kentucky. The school operated during the War Between The States (1861-1865). Kentucky was a neutral state during the Civil War and many well-to-do southern families sent their daughters to the college to escape the hostile environment of the oncoming war. History proved Kentucky to be a crucial part of the Civil War and one of the bloodiest battles of the war took place about 15 miles to the west of this property. As the Union and Confederate armies engaged on October 8, 1862 cannon fire could be clearly heard by the students. Most local churches acted as temporary hospitals for the wounded.
In 1894, the school was bought by Colonel Thomas Smith, veteran of the army of the Confederate States of America. The school operated as Beaumont College until 1916. It was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Glave Goddard in 1917 and converted by them into the Beaumont Inn two years later.
Beaumont Inn is located in historic Harrodsburg, Kentucky's oldest town. Nearby is Shaker Village. Read more about Beaumont Inn.
Inn at Gristmill Square, Warm Springs, Virginia
There has been a mill in continuous operation on this site on Warm Springs Run since 1771. The present mill building was erected in 1900 and operated as a gristmill until 1971, when the building was converted into the Waterwheel Restaurant.
The Inn at Gristmill Square was created in 1972, utilizing five original 19th century buildings. A blacksmith shop and hardware store were converted to guest rooms and office space. Two grand old homes, The Steele House and The Miller House, have been converted to guest rooms and a day spa.Gristmill Square is like a small 19th century mountain village, with lovingly-restored historic buildings, fresh-baked muffins every morning, and an elegant restaurant housed in the converted mill. Welcome elements of the modern world intrude gently – each room has a private bath, cable TV and private phone line, and a day spa and gift shops are on the grounds.
Inn at Gristmill is located in Bath County, named for the crystal clear mineral waters of the natural warm springs. It's near Hot Springs and the Homestead Resort. Travelers have come to Bath to soak in the springs for more than 200 years. Read more about The Inn at Gristmill Square .
Time Honored Inns Nationally Known
