The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-07-21
OLD NATIONAL.
OLD LANDMARK GONE.
Hotel Dem oIishc<i---New One TO
be Buiis---1kip Van VIM
lSEe Woke Gip.


Llc Woke Up.
The old National Hotel has been
RACED to the ground. The proprietor,
Mr.. j. Keener Durr, is now having
the debris removed preparatory to
the erection of q new editice of brick,
to be built ON the most approved
model, and with all the conveniences
Of modern times This hotel was sit
uated Immediately opposite the court
house, the most eligible site for ho-
tel in the place. 1t was built in 1898
for private residence, by Isaac Hite
Williams, who had removed from old
Virginia, and doubtless its history
would make an interesting article,
but the memory of man is so treach-
erous that we can CLEAN but u few
dry facts Williams returned to East
Virginia and died there in 1885,
After lie left the house was first occu.
pied by Elihu Horton for several
years as tavern. After that MIN
rod Evans, clerk of the County court,
occupied ii till his death, about 1880.
Ills wife and his brother Marmaduke
died there in 1873 or L. He was an
uncle of Col. James Evans, and Col.
John Evans, the father of said MIN
rod, was the first clerk of the County
court of this County After Nimrod
Evans death it was variously occu-
pied. John Addison kept tavern
there previous to A. $. Vance who
bought it in 1877. Col Vance kept
it for four year and in 1851 sold il to
Uncle John Wallace, who occupied it
with his family till 1868, when it was
sold to Mr.. DUR. Since then it was
kept by George c. Hayes, Perry and
Hugs St Clair, Benz. Ryan, Henry
Reed, and others, and lately it has
been occupied rs private residence
by various parties. DR.. Raymond
bought it in 1914, of the Williams
heirs, and sold it to Alex. Hayes,
but none of these ever occupied it.
The lot was sold in 1898, by Hagh
McNcely to Wi lams for $40. In
1874 Williams heirs sold it to Hay
mond and MADEIRA for $1,000. They
sold it to A. Hayes for the same mon
ey, and he sold it to Mr. Vance for
$ll00. He sold it to Wallace for
$1,000. Mr. Wallace bought the 9TH
er half Of the lot of L. Domain for
Sll75, and sold the whole to his son,
James G., in 1862, for $500, and in
1868 Jim sold It to Keener DUR for
$4,000.
The National enjoyed fine repu-
tation when kept by the Wallaces,
but when they left It's reputation went
down, and the "Wallacc House" the
"lIanway Mansion took its place,
and is now considered one Of the best
hotels in the State. Mr.. DUR says
lie intends to make the New Nation
al first-class hotel that shall not
be rivaled in the State, and Keener
has plenty of nerve and experience
to make good what he says.
We welcome this improvement.
w it'll our prospective r. r. to the b.
& 0. r. r.. ria Kingwood, the
Capital at Clarksburg, the Mononga-
hela r, r. completed to that point and
the slack water Improvement in pro
cess Of construction, together with
our Seminary and University and
fine mountain air already here, an
other hotel will be needed in the
Athens Of West Virginia. The work
Of demolition of the old and the cree
ton Of the new hotel, although it fills
our eyes and ears and nose and
clothes full Of dust, already gives the
place a business appearance and is
awakening Morgantown from its Rip
Van Wrinkle sleep.