Title
Phoenix Hotel, Carrollton, AL
Subject
Hotels
Description
The historic Phoenix Hotel in Carrollton, Alabama, was built in 1841.
The hotel was a two-story, 27-room hotel located on the main street just across from the county courthouse. In the old days when transportation was a problem, men who served on the jury at the county spent the night in the hotel. There was a spring, called Johnny Woods Spring, located just a few blocks from the hotel and during the 1920s and 1930s, people would come to stay at the hotel just to visit the spring and drink the water.
The hotel was noted for its fine food served buffet-style on a large lazy-susan table. The table had been sold and was, in 1966, being used at a beach house on the Gulf Coast.
Benjamin F. Roper built the hotel, naming it the Phoenix because it arose from the ashes of the Roper house which had burned. A livery stable was built beside the hotel. Roper operated both the hotel and the livery stable for 12 years.
During the Civil War, Northern troops burned the courthouse, but spared the hotel and enjoyed the lodging there.
Olivia B. Sullivan purchased the hotel in 1945 and ran it until the early 1960s.
The hotel was typical of antebellum buildings with square nails and wooden pegs used in construction and much of the lumber hand-hewn heart pine lumber. An coat of white paint kept the building looking immaculate.
The Phoenix was demolished in 1966 to make room for a new county activities building. Probate Judge Robert H. Kirksey said the county had advertised to sell the building, but got no offers. The county finally gave the building to a Tuscaloosa man if he would tear it down and remove the materials.
The hotel was a two-story, 27-room hotel located on the main street just across from the county courthouse. In the old days when transportation was a problem, men who served on the jury at the county spent the night in the hotel. There was a spring, called Johnny Woods Spring, located just a few blocks from the hotel and during the 1920s and 1930s, people would come to stay at the hotel just to visit the spring and drink the water.
The hotel was noted for its fine food served buffet-style on a large lazy-susan table. The table had been sold and was, in 1966, being used at a beach house on the Gulf Coast.
Benjamin F. Roper built the hotel, naming it the Phoenix because it arose from the ashes of the Roper house which had burned. A livery stable was built beside the hotel. Roper operated both the hotel and the livery stable for 12 years.
During the Civil War, Northern troops burned the courthouse, but spared the hotel and enjoyed the lodging there.
Olivia B. Sullivan purchased the hotel in 1945 and ran it until the early 1960s.
The hotel was typical of antebellum buildings with square nails and wooden pegs used in construction and much of the lumber hand-hewn heart pine lumber. An coat of white paint kept the building looking immaculate.
The Phoenix was demolished in 1966 to make room for a new county activities building. Probate Judge Robert H. Kirksey said the county had advertised to sell the building, but got no offers. The county finally gave the building to a Tuscaloosa man if he would tear it down and remove the materials.
Source
Library of Congress
Contributor
Betty Slowe (Description)
Type
Photograph
Identifier
2326
Coverage
Pickens County (AL)