EMS11 - Aethelwold Hotel Building

Originally known as the Aethelwold Hotel, later the Waltermire Hotel

History

The Aethelwold Hotel was completed in 1903 by John William McMinn. He was the son of Nathan McMinn, who built the large brick McMinn building diagonally across the intersection at the northwest corner of Main and Broad. He apparently paid just over $30,000. John McMinn named it  the Aethelwold Hotel after his wife, Ethel. He ran the hotel from when it was built until he died fifteen years later in 1918.

Before the hotel was built, the lot was often used as a place where tents were erected, goods were exchanged, and people waited for business conducted at the court house. Many sources seem to be vague as to the date of its construction; quite a few estimating that it was likely built circa 1900.  This is correct, but construction specifically began in the summer of 1902 and was substantially completed one year later - with the exception of some work on the upper floors. The project was overseen by Robert T. Kilpatrick, a local builder who was responsible for many of the town’s most prominent buildings. The architectural style is Queen Anne. Bricks used in the building were supposedly made by N. V. Cooper, a farmer who owned much of the land that Brevard was built on. The hotel was originally a three-story brick building (with the exception of the third floor, which was wood-framed) and had a mansard roof.  A mansard roof is basically a four-sided hip roof that has two slopes on each of the four sides with dormer windows on the lower slope.  After completion, it accommodated 100 guests. The main entrance in front of the hotel’s lobby, which faced Broad Street across the street from the present-day shop Local Color (SBW12c), was a portico with beautiful balustrade (railings) above it. Some of the large lobby behind the main entrance can still be viewed through windows beside the doors. The door is open for the public to step inside and take a look, and for residents of the upper floors to access the stairway.  Another entrance at the corner of the building featured stone arches. 

The Main Street side of the building originally had a balcony over the entire portion of the building frontage that was to the left of the clipped entryway. At the Broad Street entry, under the portico and just outside the doors, floor tiles spelled out "Aethelwold".

One of the Aethelwold's first occupants in 1903 was the Brevard Banking Company, the first bank in the city. It was located within a pharmacy owned by C.W. Nichols.  The hotel was popular and was opened even before all of the rooms were completed.  An August 1903 article in the Sylvan Valley News said "Although the hotel is not yet finished, every room is taken and work is rapidly being pushed on the third floor."

Deaver & Loftis, grocers, put their first ad in the newspaper on July 24, 1903 stating that they were in this building.  In October 1904, the hotel had its first management change, with F.P. Morgan taking over as manager of the hotel. By November 1944, Deavor had left Loftis and J.C. Loftis was advertised as "The Grocer."

February 1904: Ernest Black moves his barber shop into the Aethelwold Building. He was a "enterprising tonsorial artist", and one article mentioned that he was moving into the "DeLong store room next door to the Aethelwold".  Later articles made it clear that he was actually in the Aethelwold building, probably in one of the basement stores.  Even this is odd, however, because the existing basement areas under the Aethelwold are at the rear of the building and don't appear to have ever been finished spaces.

In September 1905, F.V. Archer took a lease on the building for a year.  By the end of the year, Galloway, Duckworth & Co., selling insurance and real estate, had moved in and E.R. Black, a barber, had moved here from the Cooper Building (WMS11).

February 1906 brought rumors that a bowling alley would soon be opening in one of the basement storerooms.  It isn't known if that ever happened, though.

August 1906:  T.W. Whitmire leased the Aethelwold for three years and took possession at the end of Archer's lease that fall. The first ad appeared in the newspaper for People's Bank.   

November 1906:  Galloway left the Aethelwold and moved upstairs in the McMinn Building (WMN11).  Arthur Kilpatrick moved his furniture store into the space formerly occupied by Galloway.

November 1907: Morris Fred opened a dry good store here, selling clothing, shoes and hats.

January 1908: A business here called the Hub Store had an ad in the Sylvan Valley News.

October 1908:  T.W. Whitmire placed ads in the newspaper offering free tickets to the Aethelwold Pool Room.  There was no other mention in any newspapers over time about this pool room.

December 1908: A.J. Hilt was the representative in the building for A.J. Holan & Company, sellers of the Homan Bible.

January 1909: First notice appears in the newspaper of the dissolution of People's Bank.  On June 18, 1909, the Sylvan Valley News reported that the "old People's Bank sign now reads 'People's Pool Room.'"

October 1909: T.D. England leased the building for a year.  The newspapers said that he would use his business experience to "work to the problems of the hotel economy."

February 18, 1910:  Ads appear for the Aethelwold Barber Shop, "Chas. Jollay, Proprietor".  Ads ran through November 1912 and then stopped.

December 1910:  A Christmas Bazaar was held "in a vacant room under the Aethelwold, formerly Black's Barber Shop."  Earlier mentions of Black's shop indicated that it was on the "ground floor", perhaps making one believe that it was at street-level.  However, it may have always been in the building's basement. To this day, it's a mystery as to how the Black's shop (and the earlier mention of a bowling alley) could have been in a basement.  The only basement under the building is towards the south side of the structure, roughly underneath the present-day Gem Mine storefront. It's long, running from the west end of the building at Broad Street to the east end where there's a parking lot. The space has dirt floors and some concrete block walls, but the ceilings are low. It seems like it would have not been feasible to put a shop (or a bowling alley!) under there.

1911:  The 1911 Sanborn Maps show a barber shop in the most southern store of the Aethelwold along Broad Street. That would be EMS11g, and was likely the Aethelwold Barber Shop.  The map indicates that EMS11f had a "Whol Gro.", meaning it was a wholesale grocery store. That store was the Brevard Grocery Company, managed by T.W. Whitmire. A newspaper article said that they had "leased the People's Bank building, next door to the Aethelwold hotel."  This happened in February 1911. The same map also showed that the retail space at the corner of Main & Broad (EMS11b) was a bank (the Brevard Banking Company) and that the store beside it (EMS11a) was a millinery (dealing with the making and sale of women's hats). 

September 22, 1911:  Dr. H.P. MacKnight leased the building for five years.  He was a "hotel proprietor of wide experience"

June 1912:  The "opening dance" was held at the hotel.  Music was "furnished by the Aethelwold orchestra, which occupied a part of the dancing hall."

1916: The Sanborn Map of Brevard for 1916 indicates a store in EMS11g (former location of the Aethelwold Barber Shop). By this time, Brevard Grocery Company was gone and the hotel had converted its space (EMS11f) into its dining room.  A bank was still in EMS11b (Brevard Banking Company) and the millinery was still in EMS11a.

1917:  According to an article on the Transylvania County website, a dance was held her to raise money for an ambulance fund.  Dances were so controversial that city leaders voted to "stop public dancing" because it promoted "immoral and indecent behaviors." 

November 3, 1919:  The Aethelwold was sold at auction for $22,550 to T.W. Whitmire.  McMinn's heirs sold it because they had to sell it at auction within two years of his death.  Whitmire was born in Brevard, and later became the mayor and a city alderman.

June 10, 1920: In another change of management, G.W. Taft took over.  He repainted the interior and exterior and made several renovations.

May 1921: An ad in the Brevard News said that the Sapphire Theatre was located "on the ground floor" of the Aethelwold Building and had an "incline floor".  It also mentioned that it was well ventilated.  No ads before this specifically said "Aethelwold".  Since the first ad stating that it was on the ground floor was in March 1921, the theatre likely moved to the Aethelwold sometime in early 1921.

November 1921:  Mrs. S.A. Albert, who had been managing the hotel for a year, gave up her lease.  She stayed on until her successor, Mrs. Alman Wheeler arrived on the 28th to take over.  Mrs. Wheeler, an experienced hotel woman from Bryson City, renovated much of the building by installing a new heating system, repainting wood work, and providing new furnishing for the rooms.

February 1923:  Lowe Motor Company opened for business in the "old dining room" on Broad Street (EMS11f).  They sold Ford parts and Franklin motor cars.  It isn't known where the cars were kept.

September 1924:  Whitmire Chevrolet Co. opened on the Broad Street side of the building (maybe in place of Lowe's?).  They displayed "all models of new Chevrolet cars" (don't know where they kept them, though) and said they carried parts in the store.

1924: The Sanborn map for 1924 shows a store still in the rightmost storefront along Broad Street (EMS11g), but indicates that the hotel's dining room has now been converted into an "Auto store".  It's likely that Lowe Motor Company moved in right after the conversion.  It's also possible that Whitmire Chevrolet Co. took over the space from Lowe.  It appears that the Brevard Banking Company still occupied the corner.  The space to its left, formerly a millinery, was marked as "S." - meaning it was a store. It's possible that the millinery could have still been there, but it probably changed since they didn't specifically say it was a millinery after noting it on the previous two maps.

According to an article in the January 15, 1925 issue of the Brevard News, a woman named Mrs. Roland Whitmire was walking in a second floor hall when she "accidently stepped on a trap door".  It gave way and she fell down to the first floor, landing on a kitchen table.  She was unconscious for a while, but mainly had only bruises because her fall was broken.

April 1925:  Pete's Cafe was on the Broad Street side of the building. It's not known when it opened, but it had closed by February 1926.

September 24, 1925: W.I. Phillips Company (unknown business or service) was in the building.

On February 10, 1926, the Aethelwold became the Waltermire Hotel. The owner, T.W. Whitmire, named it after his son Walter.  The newspaper mentioned the Lynch Cafeteria in the building, saying that it would be "first class in every respect."

February 1926: The Smith Furniture Company opened in the Broad Street space formerly occupied by Pete's Cafe.

September 1929:  Offices for Southern Public Utilities signed a lease for five years.  They were to occupy two spaces in the Waltermire Hotel building:  one next door to the hotel's lobby on Broad Street and the other on Main St next to the Pisgah Bank.  This places Southern at EMS11a and one of the Broad Street spaces on either side of the lobby.  Southern Public Utilities was a division of Duke Power and had been granted a franchise by the city to install and maintain power lines. They first built a power substation near the railroad depot and then ran lines throughout the city.

Early 1930s:  A photograph of the Waltermire taken in the early 1930s shows a Cafe in the corner spot (perhaps it was taken in 1935 or shortly thereafter - and it was Galloway's).  A sign in the window of the storefront to the left of the Broad Street lobby indicates that it was the Brevard 5 & 10c Store.

August 1935:  Galloway Cafe opened in the corner space that the Pisgah Bank once occupied.  The Pisgah Bank at that location had become the Pisgah Industrial Bank and moved back to its former location (SBW11c) in February 1931.

January 14, 1936:  T.W. Whitmire and his wife Mattie sold the property to T.C. Whitmire.  This was recorded in Deed Book 67, page 194.  No previous deeds were mentioned.

May 1938:  The Galloway Cafe moves across the street, apparently "following" the Pisgah Bank who must have vacated the space in the Pickelsimer Building (SBW11c).

July 1938: Jennie Bowen announced the opening of her ready-to-wear shop at "Corner of Main and Broad St."  The "Waltermire Hotel Corner".  Her shop later moved to WMN14 in June 1940.

January 1939:  A Western Auto Store opened for business on the Main Street side of the Waltermire's first floor.  At this time, it was listed at 3 East Main street, likely placing it to the left of the corner at EMS11a.

August 21, 1939:  T.C. Whitmire sold the property to T.W. Whitmire. Only three years earlier, T.W. had sold it to T.C.  This was recorded in Deed Book 74, page 44.

June 1940:  Parson's Jewelry took Jennie Bowen's place in the corner storefront.

December 6, 1940:  Varner's Drug Store opens in the Whitmire. The only mention of this was an ad about the opening in an earlier edition (April 3, 1941) of the Transylvania TImes.  A later article on December 11, 1941 specifically stated that Varner's moved in on December 6, 1940.  It is not known which space he occupied.  Newspapers covering the original opening are missing from the archives.

April 1, 1942:  Varner's moved out of the building and went across Broad Street to the Mull Building at the northwest corner of Jordan and Broad (SBW13a)

August 1, 1944: Brevard Hardware opened where the Western Auto Store was in the left storefront (EMS11a at 3 East Main)

January 1946:  Telephone directories show that Jones News Stand was in this building until (at least) sometime in 1949.

May 1947: Firestone Home and Auto Supply was in this building, most likely on the South Broad Street side.  The Home Interior Shop opened at 1 S. Broad Street, which would have been the first store around the corner from Main Street (EMS11c).  By January 1948, the Home Interior Shop moved again, this time just around the corner in this same building replacing Parson's Jewelry Store (EMS11b). Parson's had moved to West Main street, next to Patterson's.

January 1949: The space on Broad Street (at 1 South Broad) previously occupied by the Home Interior Shop was now taken by the Tinsley Barber Shop.

March 1951:  Brevard Jewelers announced their opening at the former Jones News Stand on East Main street (1 East Main).  They were in the space for many years, with their last entry in a telephone book occurring in 1991.

December 1954:  Crest announced the opening of a "Santa Claus Store" in the Waltermire.  It was probably what is known today as a "pop-up" store, only their for the holidays.

1956:  Grogan's News Stand opened at 3 East Main street, putting it in the left storefront EMS11a.  Brevard Hardware moved to the building next door, EMS12. 

1962:  An appliance store called L&H Appliance was at 17 South Broad street, according to the telephone directory.  That would place it in one of the two Waltermire storefronts furthest from Main Street on South Broad (EMS11e or EMS11f).

May 1963.  Ad advertisement in the newspaper stated that L&H Appliance had changed their name to Hoopers Appliance and Furniture Co.

1964: Hooper's was still in the building, and a new store called Anderson's Furniture and Upholstering Co was at 15 S Broad.  Based on telephone directory information, only Hooper's and Anderson's were on the South Broad side of the building this year.

January 1971: Guy Dean Electric moved from the Times Arcade to 17 South Broad.  It would seem that they replaced Hooper's Appliance & Furniture Co.  According to telephone directories, Dean was still her in 1979, but was gone by 1980.

March 1971:  The Village Shop (a dress shop) opens next to D. Guy Dean.  Since it was next to Dean, this was most likely located at 15 South Broad in EMS11e.  The Village Shop didn't last long, though.  only three months later they placed an ad that they were going out of business due to illness.

In 1973, Brevard Jewelers changed their name to Brevard Jewelers & Gift Shop. The gift shop was behind the jewelers and had an entrance on Broad Street. 

1974:  Coker Heating & Air Conditioning replaced Grogan's News Stand at 3 East Main (EMS11a).  Coker was in this space at least until sometime in 1977.

May 22, 1978:  Thomas C. Whitmire and wife Jean sold the property to Alma K. Cox.  Cox owned Brevard Jewelers.  The transaction is documented in Deed book 230, page 558.  Three months later, heirs of T.W. Whitmire sold other surrounding property to Alma K. Cox (see Deed book 230, page 551).  A month after that, on July 5, 1978, Paula Mae Smathers LaChance sold to Alma K. Cox "The land and improvements located in Brevard, North Carolina, on the south side of the Main Street and on the east side of Broad Street known as the Waltermire Building, more particularly described in 74/44" "This deed conveys the entire interest of the Grantor and is one of a series of Deeds from the heirs of T.W. Whitmire"   

1983: Realty World was at 7 South Broad street.  This was probably the storefront just to the left of the Broad Street lobby (EMS11d).

1989:  This is the last year that Brevard Jeweler's was listed in the telephone directory.  Shirts Unlimited was now listed at 17 South Broad (former location of Donna's Fashion Center and was there until sometime in 1991. Blue Ridge Appliance & Refrigeration was also listed this year at 17 South Broad.  Perhaps Shirts Unlimited and the Blue Ridge briefly shared the space.  Blue Ridge was only there this year, though.

1991:  Terry's Repair Service moved into 5 South Broad, probably the first store around the corner from Main Street at the time.  By 1994, he had moved to 112 W Main Street (maybe WMN22)

1992:  Messer's renames his business to Messer's News Stand, likely getting out of the barber shop business at that location.  The news stand was last in the telephone directory in 1993. Book Nook moved in to 15 South Broad (EMS11f) and was there at least until 1997.

May 28, 1993:  Alma K. Cox sold the property to Tim Hall and his wife.  It was the same land previously deeded to Alma K. Cox from Jane H. Whitmire, et.al. on June 30, 1975. See Deed book 363 page 127. There was an agreement at the time that Cox could continue renting the space occupied by Brevard Jewelers for six months from June 1, 1993.

June 1993: Tim Hall began restoration. It took 21 years to restore the third floor and quite a few architectural features. Third floor restoration wasn't completed until about 2014.  

About the time that the third floor was removed in 1960, the original first-floor corner arches and the angled door, as well as the original lobby entrance were also removed.  At the time of the third floor removal, the flooring on was covered with asphalt sheets, which then had gravel poured on top of it. During Tim's restoration, he removed the gravel and sheets and the old, now-exposed original floor again became the restored flooring.  The exterior of the third floor was made to resemble the original roofline and a similar restoration was done to the doorway at the corner - with the angled entryway and arches re-established. 

After the restoration, the second and third floor's remained empty for several years, but Tim hoped to turn in back into a hotel. A friend of his thought otherwise, envisioning that both floors should be converted into condominiums.  Eventually, both upper floors became condos.

In the summer of 1993, a shop called the Fox N Berry Curiosity Shoppe opened in the first storefront (EMS11a) where Messer's used to be.

Sometime between 1997 and 2024, the street addresses on East Main street "flipped":  odd addresses were assigned to the north side of the street and even addresses to the south side. From the early 1900s until at least 1996, it was the other way around. 

1997:  Balsam Grove Apartments were at 5 South Broad (EMS11c).  This was likely an office for apartments upstairs.  Fox Construction was at 7 South Broad (EMS11d).  Lost Unicorn, selling crafts and gifts) was at 15-17 South Broad (EMS11f-g).

November 21, 2005:  Tim Hall and his wife sold the building to Aethelwold, LLC.  Deed book 319 page 681.

May 8, 2014:  Aethelwold, LLC sold the building to Aethelwold Development, LLC.  Deed book 691 page 40.

Present Day

Present day, 2025:  Beverly Hanks Realty occupies the corner location and the first storefront on Broad Street (essentially EMS11b,c,d, and f).  The Crystal Mountain Gem Mine is at 31 South Broad (EMS11g), and the Red Wolf Gallery is at 8 East Main (EMS11a). Condominiums are on the two upper floors.

The interior lobby was restored by Tim Hall, and its large wooden double doors are usually open so that condominium owners can access the main stairway and the public can view the lobby and some of the artifacts around the fireplace.

Postal Addresses

Through 1952, these were taken from Sanborn Maps. After that, they are derived by matching business addresses in telephone books with the buildings where they were located (if known). Where possible, storefronts are indicated with letters a, b, c and so on.  These refer to the storefronts from left-to-right as you face the building from the street. If a building "wraps" around a corner (like EMS11 and WMS11), then the lettering continues - left to right as you face the building. Addresses shaded in green indicate a change from the previous column. Missing information is unknown. The author is not claiming 100% accuracy here, but it will hopefully help others who are attempt to research the history of this building. This is a partial capture of a larger image where all addresses on the same block were entered.