Foster Falls Hotel

Foster Falls Hotel. . , This historic structure stands empty now; however its past still lives within its walls. The Foster Falls Hotel once was the center piece to a small, thriving mining community., In 1887, the Foster Falls Mining and Manufacturing Co. were responsible for the construction of this historic structure. The hotel served as a meeting hall, post office, commissary and boarding house for employees of the mining industry. In 1889, the mining operation was sold to the Virginia Iron Coal and Coke Co. although the operations had changed hands, the hotel remained as a center piece., In 1919, when the VIC left operations at Foster Falls, the hotel was sold for one dollar to the Abingdon Presbytery and converted to a girls industrial school. Industrial schools taught young ladies the art of home making, they were also given time for school subjects and bible studies., (captions) , In 1938 a two story brick cottage for boys was built beside the original structure and the school became a coed orphanage., Look closely at the photo, you can still see the timeless image of children playing., Since 1962, the hotel has stood vacant giving us a reminder of Foster Falls historic past. , The hotel again serves as a community beacon, only not to a thriving mining industry but to a beautiful park and it's visitors.