Laurel Park in Henderson County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Retreat Hotel

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 4, 2024

1. The Retreat Hotel Marker

Inscription. Originally built as a clubhouse for the Fairgrounds and Baseball Field, in 1907 W.A. Smith had architect Erle Stillwell prepare remodeling plans “to convert the building into a modern family hotel.” The lobby of the renovated 20-room hotel had a large granite stone chimney from W.A. Smith's quarry and rocking chair porches on both floors.

In 1911, W.A. Smith sold the hotel to Florence Jordan who operated it as an exclusive family hotel with “comfortable rooms and good cuisine.” Miss Jordan, as she was fondly called, added more rooms, baths, and other amenities in 1912 and renamed it the Laurel Park Villa. Guests were prominently listed in the society page of the local newspaper and arrived from all over the Southeast.

The hotel ceased operations in 1934.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1907.

Location. 35° 18.969′ N, 82° 29.326′ W. Marker is in Laurel Park, North Carolina, in Henderson County. It is at the intersection of Crystal Spring Drive and Canal Drive, on the right when traveling west on Crystal Spring Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 214 Crystal Spring Dr, Hendersonville NC 28739, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Mountains and in Greater Asheville.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance

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of this marker: The Casino (within shouting distance of this marker); The Park and Amusement Grounds (within shouting distance of this marker); The Canal (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Laurel Park Railroad (approx. ¼ mile away); Crystal Spring (approx. 0.4 miles away); Rhododendron Lake (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Quarry Tract (approx. 0.4 miles away); William Alexander Smith (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Laurel Park.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 4, 2024

2. The Retreat Hotel Marker

The Retreat Hotel image. Click for full size.

Frank P. Fogg, Now for North Carolina, via NC Digital Collections (Public Domain), 1910

3. The Retreat Hotel

Credits. This page was last revised on February 13, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 333 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 12, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3. submitted on February 13, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.