The Old Newberry Hotel is an historical landmark located in downtown Newberry, SC. Future plans include expanding the art center & creating venues.   Currently the Old Newberry Hotel houses the Newberry Art Center including a pottery and painting studio, a Digital Photography Studio, Nursing Placement service, and the Newberry County Literacy Council. The new owners are planning to renovate the old hotel lobby and other areas to include a unique event venue and artist studios and apartments.  The site includes a courtyard that will be part of the event venue space.

The owners are currently asking for photos, memories, and artifacts related to the history of the hotel which was built in 1878.  

History of the Old Newberry Hotel: Once Samuel Lindsey Esq. lived in the town of Newberry and used an old house as a tavern, where the Newberry Hotel now stands. John Belton O’Neall inferred in his ANNALS that the ‘drink’ got the better of the man and he was struck with paralysis. For a short time after Nicholas Vaughan was proprietor of the tavern. Ownership then went to William Satterwhite whose wife eloped with Major William Craig, leaving behind her, her infant child. This personal tragedy gave way to excessive ‘drink’ and an early grave. Next report of the site was the building circa 1820 of a ‘BRICK HOTEL’ by James Fernandis who later moved to Alabama. The hotel was then run by Robert Stewart and known as the MAGNOLIA HOUSE. Lenn Morgan took over proprietorship and later moved to the Greenville/Spartanburg area of the State. In 1859 the MORGAN HOUSE was purchased by H. H. Kinard and the name was changed to FARMER’S HOTEL H. H. Kinard turned over ownership of the hotel to his son John M. Kinard in 1860. John M. Kinard was in the Confederate service, received a wound to the right arm which eventually was the cause of his death. Ownership of the hotel then reverted back to H. H. Kinard who sold the Hotel to J. N. Martin. The name of the establishment became the MARTIN HOUSE. The newspaper reported that General Hood, escorting Mrs. Jefferson Davis, spent the night at the MARTIN HOUSE on their flight from Columbia. In December 1865 the hotel was sold to H. I. Epting who changed the name of the establishment to the NEWBERRY HOTEL. J. Pool moved to Newberry from Greenville in 1866 and purchased the site, renovated, repaired, and called the new establishment the POOL HOTEL. There was an elegant bar room attached to the establishment. In 1868 the hotel went into receivership due to bankruptcy. S. B. Calcutt of Marion moved to Newberry and managed the hotel, leasing the hotel from Jordan Pool. In 1872, when the lease expired, Mr. Calcutt retired from management and J. P. Pool again took over. C. C. Chase, son-in-law to J. P. Pool, became the owner in January 1873 but in 1875 C. C. Chase moved to Spartanburg and reverted ownership back to J. P. Pool. It was at that time that the newspaper started to report the names of those registered at the hotel and so from January 1876 to March 8, 1877 there were weekly reports of the activities of the building. Fire consumed the hotel March 8, 1877 and in October 1877 a frame storehouse was constructed on the site. In 1878 the present day structure was built with bricks made by J. P. and T. C. Pool brick-making company.

Night travel was dangerous, if not impossible. Following are the names of those registered at the hotel, their place of origin and the date their stay was reported in the newspaper.