Aethelwold and Franklin Were Top Hotels

In the first decade of the 20th century Brevard had two large hotels, plus numerous small hotels and boarding houses. 

John McMinn built the Aethelwold Hotel on the corner of Main and Broad streets around 1900.  It could accommodate close to 100 guests and offered all the modern services with a café, grocer, barber shop, and other amenities on the main floor.  The rooms were large and sunny and afforded a view of the town and the mountains beyond. 

The main entrance to the Waltermire Hotel Lobby
was on the west side of the building from Broad Street.

The hotel reportedly cost over $30,000 to construct.  After McMinn died in 1918 his heirs sold the property at auction to Thomas W. Whitmire for $22,550.  Whitmire renamed it the Waltermire Hotel in memory of his son Walter, who died in 1919. 

Whitmire served as Brevard’s mayor three different times for a total of 14 years.  He owned several different businesses including a dry goods store, a grocery, and Whitmire Motor Company in both Asheville and Brevard.    Whitmire also had a connection to Brevard’s other large hotel, the Franklin.

The spacious lobby of the Franklin Hotel
offered comfortable seating areas for guests.

The Franklin Hotel, built by J. Frances Hays about 1900 on East Main St., was surrounding by an expansive lawn, acres of trees, a bridal path, and a small lake.  The large Y shaped building included a 20-foot wide veranda where guests could enjoy the cool summer evenings.  The hotel occupancy was approximately 150.  It had 60 rooms, most with private baths. 

In 1909 Hays sold the hotel and 80 acres to the Franklin Park Improvement Company for about $35,000.  Thomas W. Whitmire was one of the partners in this company.  They laid out lots and streets and began the development of the area around the hotel.  In 1911 they sold the Franklin Hotel and eight and a half acres to new owners.

A few homes were constructed on the reminder of the property at that time but it was not until the mid-1940s that the Franklin St. area really began to develop.  In 1945 it was reported that development would begin on “about 80 acres in the hotel grounds, and every purchaser of a lot for $500 will be required to build on same within two years and no residence is to cost less than $2000.”  The development company consisted of four of the five original Franklin Park Improvement Company members including Whitmire, A.J. Hilt, C.H. Robinson, and F.J. Robinson.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.