OLIVER SPRINGS RESORT HOTEL

Article written and Oliver Springs Hotel Pictures restored/colorized by Neil and Bruce Schulman. Copyrighted.

The First Oliver Springs Hotel

Richard Oliver, first postmaster of Oliver Springs, then known as Winter's Gap, changed the direction of the town development for the remainder of the century when he began to actively promote the healing properties of the mineral springs. To handle the increasing number of guests, he built a large, 35-room brick hotel. This first inn, built between 1830 and 1832, attracted guests from around the region and beyond. As this was before any rail connection in the area, visitors arrived by horse or by buggy after traveling the dusty dirt roads and turnpikes. Oliver operated the inn until his death in 1861. This inn served as a hospital for both sides during the Civil War, and remained intact until 1892. During the coal strikes of 1891-1893, the structure was torched. A second, more opulent and much larger hotel was built by Joseph Richards and his brothers, whose family had bought the Oliver's land, in 1895.

The Second Oliver Springs Hotel

The second hotel was started in 1894 and opened in 1895. The 150-room resort was a national destination for tourists who came to drink the mineral waters and enjoy the natural beauty. Entertainment options included horseback riding, billiards, a dance pavilion, and croquet. Snyder Roberts noted in his book that orchestrated fox hunts were planned to give the aspiring guests the chance to feel the thrill of the chase. In 1900, the hotel issued a brochure (see Photo Section) hailing the healing values of the mineral waters.