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Fairview in Buncombe County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Sherrill's Inn
 
Sherrill's Inn Marker Photo, Click for full size
By Mike Stroud, May 19, 2012
1. Sherrill's Inn Marker
 
Inscription.

Established in 1834 to
serve travelers crossing
Hickory Nut Gap. In
continuous service until
1909. House stands 300
yards south.

 
Erected 1970 by State Department Of Archives and History. (Marker Number P-60.)
 
Location. 35° 29.65′ N, 82° 21.878′ W. Marker is in Fairview, North Carolina, in Buncombe County. Marker is on Charlotte Highway (U.S. 74) near Ager Lane, on the right when traveling east. Click for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fairview NC 28730, United States of America.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. Warren Wilson College (approx. 7.9 miles away); Hickory Nut Gorge (approx. 8 miles away); Black Mountain College (approx. 8.3 miles away); Zebulon Baird Vance (approx. 8.6 miles away); Albert Pike (approx. 8.6 miles away); Herman Frank Arnold (approx. 8.6 miles away); George Westfeldt (approx. 8.6 miles away); Dan Emmett (approx. 8.6 miles away).
 
Regarding Sherrill's Inn. Early settlers in North Carolina’s mountains were hardy men and women and, as they carved a place for themselves in the countryside, they developed small cottage industries to supplement
 
Sherrill's Inn Marker, looking east on Charlotte Highway US 74 Photo, Click for full size
By Mike Stroud, May 18, 2012
2. Sherrill's Inn Marker, looking east on Charlotte Highway US 74
 
their income. A popular option for many pioneers was the establishment of taverns, or inns, for weary travelers to find some food and a dry place to lay their head. Among the early entrepreneurs was Bedford Sherrill who purchased land from John Sumner in 1834 in Hickory Nut Gap. Sherrill enlarged the existing house, possibly built as early as 1806, and added other outbuildings to support a store. Once traffic increased to the area, Sherrill was able to secure the local stagecoach stop, ensuring weary travelers would land at his doorstep. Visitors to Sherrill’s inn ranged from tourists to farmers driving herds of livestock southward. To accommodate the “drovers” and their herds, Sherrill sold feed and supplies to the farmers. During the Civil War, Sherrill’s inn served both Union and Confederate troops.
   Sherrill sold the inn in 1866 to Thomas J. Lee who re-named the tavern “Cold Spring.” Lee experienced financial distress as a result of the toll the Civil War took on the people and economy of North Carolina and Tennessee and the inn fell back into Sherrill’s hands in 1874. Sherrill’s visitation fell once the railroad reached Asheville in 1880. Sherrill grew apples which he sold to travelers and used to ferment into cider available to his visitors. Over its long history, the inn served the rich and famous as well as the average mountain people and its
 
Sherrill's Inn Marker, Hickory Nut Gap Photo, Click for full size
By Mike Stroud, May 18, 2012
3. Sherrill's Inn Marker, Hickory Nut Gap
 
succession of visitors can be traced through its guest registers which have survived. The Sherrill family sold the inn again and it remained in operation until 1909. The inn, a sprawling house with shed porches overlooking an excellent scenic view, in time was acquired by Jamie McClure Clarke, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives, and remains privately owned. It has been restored and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.(North Carolina Dept. of Cultural Resources)
 
Additional comments.
1. National Register of Historic Places:
Sherrill's Inn ** (added 1975 - - #75001244)
Fairview
♦ Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
♦ Architect, builder, or engineer: Unknown
♦ Architectural Style: No Style Listed
♦ Area of Significance: Transportation, Architecture, Commerce
♦ Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1875-1899, 1850-1874, 1825-1849
♦ Owner: Private
♦ Historic Function: Domestic
♦ Historic Sub-function: Hotel
    — Submitted July 8, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.
 
Sherrill's Inn , todays view thru the trees near Charlotte Highway from the Private entrance Photo, Click for full size
By Mike Stroud, May 18, 2012
4. Sherrill's Inn , todays view thru the trees near Charlotte Highway from the Private entrance
 
 
Sherrill's Inn Marker, looking back west Photo, Click for full size
By Mike Stroud, May 18, 2012
5. Sherrill's Inn Marker, looking back west
 
Credits. This page originally submitted on July 8, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 144 times since then. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 10, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.
 
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