The Fate of Six Famous Summerville Inns Lost in Time--Imagine if They Would Have Survived

Since the early 1900's tourists have flocked to the Town of Summerville to enjoy the beauty of its spring blossoms, particularly its azaleas, which are in full bloom presently. The Town will soon be packed with people from all over the Southeast and beyond to enjoy the Flowertown Festival April 5-7. The downtown district and its local businesses will be happily ringing their registers, if they still have that antiquated device, otherwise joyously swiping credit cards. S. Main Street will be a sea of people from the Square on down to Azalea Park. Many of the visitors looking for places to stay. However, I wonder, what would Summerville be like if the Wisteria Inn, Holly Inn, Vose Inn, Squirrel Inn, Carolina Inn, and Pine Forest Inn survived to today? You would have to agree, quite different. The following is their story and their fate.

There is not any significant information about the Wisteria Inn other than it was at the intersection of W. Carolina Ave and S. Main Street, and it burned down.

Wisteria Inn

The Holly Inn was next to the golf course at The Summerville Club on Holly Inn Rd. It was eventually demolished.

Holly Inn

Vose Inn is not a commonly recognizable name in the history of Summerville. The obvious reason for its present anonymity is it no longer exists. It was so severely damaged by the Earthquake of 1886, it was deserted to the elements to rot into oblivion before the Golden Age of the Inns began. It was at its best by 1860 before the Civil War. It was situated behind what is now Ambler Hall on W. Carolina Ave.

Vose Inn

Helen and Raven Lewis had the Squirrel Inn built, but Helen is seldom mentioned with her sister Raven as part-owner of the inn. In fact, the two sisters were inseparable. Lifelong companions, Helen having never married left her entire estate upon her death to Raven.

Squirrel Inn opened around 1912. It became known for its hospitable atmosphere and distinctive cuisine. In 1941, Jeanne and Eugene Sutter bought the inn. Under their ownership, it received a nomination in 1957 for being one of the top forty rural inns in the nation. It continued to be a noted inn with fine cuisine until 1966. The building was renovated for condominiums in 1979.

Famous author and diplomat Paul Hyde Bonner wintered as a guest at Summerville's Squirrel Inn. He wrote the best-selling novel called The Life of Llewellyn Jones while a town resident. It was released for publication on January 1, 1960.

The main character of Bonner's story is F. Townsend Britton, a career diplomat of fifty-odd years who carefully charts his disappearance from an authoritative, rich wife to become the widowed, retired, middle-western Liewellyn Jones, a good enough impersonation that fools everyone except Terry, a girl he meets in Cincinnati. To escape further entanglements, Jones retreats to a town in South Carolina where there is an establishment called Redbird Inn.

The South Carolina town in Bonner's story was inspired by Summerville, and the Redbird Inn was a reflection of the well-known Squirrel Inn he wintered at as a guest.

Squirrel Inn

One the the more famous of the inns was the Carolina Inn. In 1810, Moore's Tavern stood on the property. It would become the Brown's Hotel around 1855 under the ownership of Isaac T. Brown--also called the Summerville House. Brown added a ten-pin alley and a billiard room. The hotel was surrounded by wide piazzas.

The Brown's Hotel suffered damage from the 1886 earthquake. It closed around 1890, but unlike the Vose Inn, reopened in 1895. It became known as the Dorchester Inn featuring full, wrap-around porches and numerous shuttered windows. In 1912, T.R. Moore owned the Dorchester Inn and after enlarging the structure, extensively remodeling the interior, and updating the building, it opened its doors as the Carolina Inn featuring 67 rooms and a swimming pool.

With white wood-rail fencing, beautifully landscaped walking gardens, and an acquired reputation for excellent accommodations and cuisine, it would become preferred by many travelers for its discreet elegance and atmosphere. Unlike the structured offerings of the Pine Forest Inn, there were no activities

One of the favorite pastimes of the guests was competing in bridge tournaments and competitions. Somewhat similar to tourism today, other diversions included historical tours, garden tours, maybe a silent movie at the Arcade Theatre, or shopping and sightseeing excursions into Charleston on the South Carolina Railroad out of Summerville.

The Carolina Inn was demolished. 

Carolina Inn

The grandest of Summerville's inns was the Pine Forest Inn. It sat on 60 acres and opened its doors in 1891. The internationally renowned hotel had four floors, elevators, and 150 rooms. The Inn had its own power plant, telegraph office and long distance telephone service. It also housed three water supplies--an artesian well for mineral water, spring water and a charcoal purifying cistern. The weekly rate in the 1934-35 season was $49 for a single room with private bath and $168 for a double, which included meals.

In addition to the enormous rooms the Pine Forest Inn had a glassed in rocking chair porch with 150 rockers and a dining room that was larger than the 1,600 square foot dining room inside the White House.

The amenities included bowling alleys, shuffle board, billiards, a swimming pool, 18 hole golf course that sat on 130 acres, hunting, fishing, tennis, croquet and a 50 horse stable. It also offered a casino.

The Inn was later demolished by Mr. Salisbury for fear of fire.

Pine Forest Inn

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The Summerville Inn That Changed Its Appearance Like a Chameleon

Dorchester Inn

Vose Inn is not a commonly recognizable name in the history of Summerville. The obvious reason for its present anonymity is it no longer exists. It was so severely damaged by the Earthquake of 1886, it was deserted to the elements to rot into oblivion. It was situated behind what is now Ambler Hall on W. Carolina.

A famous name in Charleston history stayed there, and afterwards, penned some glowing remarks about the "charming, rural, picturesque" town of Summerville. She spoke of a "new spirit" and an "enthusiasm for progress." It was 1860, and the Charleston writer was a woman nicknamed "the ancient lady," Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Poyas.

Around the same time, another accommodation was emerging in popularity as a place that combined all the comforts of a city hotel, with the enjoyments of country living. The hotel's address was at the crossroads of W. Carolina and Sumter Ave. But on this day of March 8, 2024, as I stand at that very same location, no traces of the lodging with a history as old as Summerville's pine trees and an identity that varied as much as a chameleon changes colors remained.

Unmercifully, in the 1960's, it suffered the same irreversibly regrettable fate as the Vose Inn, total destruction. So, with some imagination and preserved photos, I gazed out over the present landscape and visually reconstructed the old inn.  

In 1810, Moore's Tavern stood on the property. It would become the Brown's Hotel around 1855 under the ownership of Isaac T. Brown--also called the Summerville House. Brown added a ten-pin alley and a billiard room. The hotel was surrounded by wide piazzas. Inside were spacious parlors, ample halls, and comfortable and airy chambers complimented by all the substantials and luxuries of a well supplied table. Hotel rates were $1.25 a day, $7.00 a week, and $25.50 a month. Boarders were furnished tickets at $.50 each for a round trip passage on the railroad to Charleston, which was a hour trip, including carriage ride to and from the depot.

The Brown's Hotel suffered damage from the 1886 earthquake. It closed around 1890, but unlike the Vose Inn, reopened in 1895. It became known as the Dorchester Inn featuring full, wrap-around porches and numerous shuttered windows. In 1912, T.R. Moore owned the Dorchester Inn and after enlarging the structure, extensively remodeling the interior, and updating the building, it opened its doors as the Carolina Inn featuring 67 rooms and a swimming pool.

With white wood-rail fencing, beautifully landscaped walking gardens, and an acquired reputation for excellent accommodations and cuisine, it would become preferred by many travelers for its discreet elegance and atmosphere in comparison to the opulence of another competitor, the Pine Forest Inn. There was an east wing and a west wing with one large, window-lined dining room sectioned off into two dining spaces with table settings containing china and sterling. A third dining room was reserved for staff employees who accompanied their employers when staying at the inn. The fine cuisine included an offering of duck and quail, two dishes the inn's kitchen was renowned for.

Unlike the structured offerings of the Pine Forest Inn, there were no activities organized by management. Patrons were left to their own devices. One of the favorite pastimes of the guests was competing in bridge tournaments and competitions. Somewhat similar to tourism today, other diversions included historical tours, garden tours, maybe a silent movie at the Arcade Theatre, or shopping and sightseeing excursions into Charleston on the South Carolina Railroad out of Summerville.

The only part of the inn complex that has survived is the two-story 2,400 square foot annex building at 315 W. Carolina. It was built to serve as an the overflow for guests seeking accommodations at the main building. It has been a private residence since 1963.

Carolina Inn Annex

Carolina Inn was sometimes mistakenly confused with White Gables by some today--another inn found on the famous directional sign. A Southern adaptation of Greek Revival architecture, White Gables was built in 1830 at the crossroads of Palmetto and Richardson Streets and was purchased by Sarah Woodruff in the early 1900's. There are some interesting stories associated with the Woodruffs and White Gables. Sarah was Summerville's Scarlet O'Hara when it came to business. However, that is another story.

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Nothing Could Be Finer Than A Stay At Carolina Inn And White Gables During the Golden Years of Summerville

Upon leaving the downtown district of "New Summerville" in 1915 and entering the pine-lined, winding roads of "Old Summerville", you would have come upon a white directional sign offering you a choice between eight different lodging establishments.

Surveying the selections, the Pine Forest Inn was the recognizable grand dame, but around this year another name was emerging in popularity as an inn with exceptional accommodations and tasty cuisine.

The inn's address - the crossroads at W Carolina and Sumter Ave. But on this day of November 21, 2013, standing at the street sign marking the location, no traces of the graceful 67-room lodging with a swimming pool remained.

Unmercifully, in the 1960's, it suffered the same irreversibly regrettable fate that also awaited the Pine Forest Inn, total destruction. So, with some imagination and preserved photos, I gazed out over the heavily treed landscape and visually reconstructed the old inn.



Dorchester Inn

The property had a history as old as the trees that overshadowed it and an identity that varied as much as a chameleon changes colors. In 1810, Moore's Tavern stood on the property. It would become the Brown's Hotel around 1855 under the ownership of I.T. Brown--also called the Summerville House. The Brown's Hotel suffered damage from the 1886 earthquake. It closed around 1890 and reopened again in 1895. Next, it became known as the Dorchester Inn featuring full, wrap-around porches and numerous shuttered windows. In 1912, T.R. Moore owned the Dorchester Inn and after enlarging the structure, extensively remodeling the interior, and updating the building, it opened its doors as the Carolina Inn.

Wood-rail fencing, beautifully landscaped walking gardens, and an acquired reputation for excellent accommodations and cuisine, it would become preferred by many travelers for its discreet elegance and atmosphere in comparison to the opulence of the Pine Forest Inn. There was an east wing and a west wing with one large, window-lined dining room sectioned off into two dining spaces and table settings containing china and sterling. A third dining room was reserved for staff employees who accompanied their employers when staying at the inn. The fine cuisine included an offering of duck and quail, two dishes the inn's kitchen was renowned for.

Unlike the structured offerings of the Pine Forest Inn, there were no activities organized by management. Patrons were left to their own devices. One of the favorite pastimes of the guests was competing in bridge tournaments and competitions. Somewhat similar to tourism today, other diversions included historical tours, garden tours, maybe a silent movie at the Arcade Theatre, or shopping and sightseeing excursions into Charleston on the Southern Railway out of Summerville.

Looking down Sumter Ave toward W Carolina today.

 

Looking down Sumter Ave toward W Carolina in the early 1900's.

 

Carolina Inn is sometimes mistakenly confused with White Gables by some today--another inn found on the directional sign. A Southern adaptation of Greek Revival architecture, White Gables was built in 1830 at the crossroads of Palmetto and Richardson Streets and was purchased by Sarah Woodruff in the early 1900's. There are some interesting stories associated with the Woodruffs and White Gables. Sarah was Summerville's Scarlet O'Hara when it came to business.

There was about ten years age difference between Sarah and her husband, Harry Woodruff, a station master in Charleston. Mr. Woodruff had an infamous reputation as a gambler and according to a family story he once gambled away downtown Houston in a card game in Texas. Concerned about her husband's history and the family's monetary future, Sarah formed a plan to secure it. She always admired the White Gables property and after observing the large number of people coming from Charleston to stay at the Carolina Inn, saw a potential in the house and its servant cottages as a source of income and proceeded to boldly put the wheels in motion to purchase it.

One particular day Sarah's husband arrived at the Summerville train station from railroad business and as usual was met by the family retainer with his horse and carriage to take him home. Upon noticing a change in route, Mr. Woodruff asked the driver, "Charlie, where are you taking me?" As he pulled into the driveway, Charlie answered, "Mrs. Woodruff bought this house and this is where you live now." Sarah had no qualms about purchasing the property without her husband's knowledge. In addition, a man by the name of Henry Clay lived on the third floor for almost four years without Mr. Woodruff ever knowing. Mr. Clay was sent to Summerville by his doctor for health reasons and while looking for a place to board met Sarah and arrangements were contracted.

For nearly 26 years, White Gables was famous for Southern hospitality under Sarah's ownership. After the Woodruffs, eventually White gables became a private residence. It has survived the winds of change in Summerville. Today, it looks much like it did in the early 1900's, except some of the trees may be naturally bigger. It is presently up for sale. Would you be interested in owning a beautiful piece of Summerville history?

White Gables November 21, 2013

(Pictures taken from "Images of America-Summerville" by Jerry Crotty and Margaret Ann Michels and Porch Rocker Collections.)