Green Park Inn
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Green Park Inn | |
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| Location | U.S. 321, Blowing Rock, North Carolina |
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| Coordinates | 36°7′7″N 81°39′39″W / 36.11861°N 81.66083°WCoordinates: 36°7′7″N 81°39′39″W / 36.11861°N 81.66083°W |
| Area | 8.7 acres (3.5 ha) |
| Built | 1882 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Queen Anne |
| NRHP Reference # | 82004637[1] |
| Added to NRHP | June 03, 1982 |
The Green Park Inn is a historic hotel located on the Eastern Continental Divide in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The hotel was built in the 1880s and operated continuously until May 24, 2009.[2]
The Green Park Inn is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels across America.[3]
Past guests of the hotel have included John D. Rockefeller, Herbert Hoover, Annie Oakley, Calvin Coolidge, Eleanor Roosevelt and Margaret Mitchell among others. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 3, 1982. It is located in the Green Park Historic District.[1]
In the latter part of the Civil War a small fortification was built on the site of the Green Park by Federal Troops.
The hotel is purported to be haunted, and has played host over the years to several conventions of ghost hunters.
In the face of a difficult economy, the Green Park Inn was closed seeking a new buyer in 2009, and foreclosed later that year.
On March 31, 2010, The Green Park Inn was purchased by two New York real estate investors who are already the owners of a number of other hotel properties. As far as possible, the new owners intend to work with the Blowing Rock Historical Society in order to retain charm, character, and historical integrity of the property. Just off the Lobby is the History Room that recounts the Hotel's storied past and contains the original Green Park U.S. Post Office.
Following an aggressive renovation of the property, The Green Park Inn reopened to the public on October 29, 2010. During the refurnishing, the owners purchased only American made products.
On July 1, 2011 the Green Park Inn reopened the Laurel Room Restaurant, Ballroom, and the Divide Tavern. The restaurant is headed by award winning Chef James Welch.
On October 29, 2011 the Green Park Inn celebrated its first anniversary of reopening after having a progressively successful year. The hotel hopes to have nearly all eighty-eight rooms completely renovated and available to guests before the second anniversary.
References
- 1 2 National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- ↑ Jim Sumner; Douglas Swaim; Janet Hutchinson (December 1981). "Green Park Inn" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 2014-08-01.
- ↑ "The Green Park Inn, a Historic Hotels of America member". Historic Hotels of America. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- Winston-Salem Journal (July 31, 2009). Owner of Green Park Inn, high bidder to negotiate deal.
- Watauga Democrat (August 21, 2009). Green Park Inn sold in courthouse sale.
- http://www2.mountaintimes.com/watauga_weekly/Green_Park_Inn_sold_id_001107
