Columbia in Maury County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Bethel House Hotel
⎯⎯⎯
The Princess Theatre

1882 - 1949

Bethel House Hotel Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Pfingsten, September 23, 2019

1. Bethel House Hotel Marker

Inscription. Bethel House Hotel On this site stood the stately, historic Bethel House Hotel, built by W. D. Bethel. Construction was the commercial center of Columbia. The first floor was devoted to stores, restaurants and offices. The second floor held a ballroom, meeting rooms, and offices. The third floor held the lodging accommodations, with the whole being quite ornate and upscale. In 1949 a fire started in the adjacent Princess Theatre, which destroyed both structures.

The Princess Theatre
1882-1949 The Princess Theatre was originally built as the Grand Opera House in 1882. It seated up to 500 patrons and hosted a constant circuit of live acts and plays. Vaudeville, comedy, animal acts and Shakespearean plays were performed on stage. In 1918 the theatre was remodeled for the showing of movies as well. Barnum & Bailey, Gene Autry, and Buffalo Bill's Wild West are among the notables that performed here. In 1949 a fire started backstage and destroyed the theatre and the adjacent Bethel House Hotel.

Erected by City of Columbia, Tennessee.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1882.

Location. 35° 36.91′ N,

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87° 2.161′ W. Marker is in Columbia, Tennessee, in Maury County. It is on West 7th Street (Business U.S. 412) west of South Garden Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 W 7th St, Columbia TN 38401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Middle Tennessee

and in Greater Nashville.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Site of the First Law Office of James Knox Polk (a few steps from this marker); President James Knox Polk (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); James K. Polk House (about 400 feet away); First Lady Sarah Childress Polk (about 400 feet away); James Knox Polk (about 400 feet away); The Forrest-Gould Affair (about 500 feet away); James Edwin R. Carpenter

The Princess Theatre Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 6, 2020

2. The Princess Theatre Marker

(about 600 feet away); Maury County War Memorial (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbia.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, January 1, 2021

3. Bethel House Hotel Marker

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 6, 2020

4. The Princess Theatre Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on January 1, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 8, 2019, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,950 times since then and 99 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 8, 2019, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 2. submitted on June 10, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3. submitted on January 1, 2022, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. 4. submitted on June 10, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Bethel House Hotel⎯⎯⎯The Princess Theatre

1882 - 1949

Bethel House Hotel
⎯⎯⎯
The Princess Theatre