Standing proudly at West Jefferson’s town square at Main Street and Jefferson Avenue, West Jefferson’s Old Hotel originally housed travelers who took the Virginia Creeper Railroad through the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Virginia Creeper Railroad (part of the Norfolk and Western Railroad) constructed rails connecting Abington, Virginia to Whitetop, Virginia. At Whitetop, the railroad continued into North Carolina passing through several small settlements on its way to Elkland, NC now known as Todd, North Carolina.
The Old Hotel in West Jefferson was open for Travelers in 1917.
As a result of the construction of the hotel, accommodations became available for businessmen and tourists making West Jefferson the major depot in northwestern North Carolina. At that time, the railroad became a contributing factor for the industrial expansion to the town of West Jefferson.
Miners searching for coal, and iron ore in the southern Appalachian Mountains rested at the Old Hotel in the 1920s. Lumber workers who had spent days laboring on the region’s rugged mountainsides extracting valuable timber to load onto the Virginia Creeper were grateful for a place to rest at the Old Hotel in downtown West Jefferson.
In recent decades, the Old Hotel has instead housed multiple businesses in the vibrant town of West Jefferson.
The Preservation of West Jefferson Hotel
Mark Beck, President of Bridgetree Investments recently bought the property. He has more than 30 years of experience in restoring old buildings across the southeastern United States and is enthusiastic about the preservation of West Jefferson’s iconic Old Hotel. The plans include bringing back several hotel rooms, a restaurant, and space for more retail businesses.
The Old Hotel, formerly owned by the Woodie family of West Jefferson, was built in 1917. The recent sale is the first time the building has changed owners in its 119-year history.
New River Custom Builders, a local construction company based out of Grassy Creek will be leading the renovations.
We look forward to seeing the completed renovation and preservation of West Jefferson’s most cherished landmark.
