Sevierville

Sevierville. Davis Hotel . Circa 1922, the two story brick building at 212 Court Avenue was originally The Davis Hotel. Having managed two other hotels in town, Margaret Bowers Davis, a widow, had knowledge of the hospitality business and decided to purchase the lot and build the red-brick hotel. , , The Davis Hotel was the first brick hotel in Sevierville and offered all the modern conveniences available in the 1920s. It was also the first Sevierville lodging establishment to have hot and cold running water in each of the 22 guest rooms and its four bathrooms. The first floor consisted of a parlor, lobby, and a big dining hall where three hot meals were served daily. , , Mrs. Davis also maintained a large garden beside the hotel where she grew most of the fresh vegetables, she served her patrons. During the hotel's years of operation, the automobile became the primary mode of transportation and families began to travel further for vacation. As more sightseers ventured to see the wonders of the Smoky Maintains, hotel occupancy increased with an influx of tourists and businessmen. , , After operating the hotel for 13 years, Mrs. Davis reached retirement age and decided to sell. In 1935 the property sold to the Rawlings family for the purpose of converting the building into a funeral home. The renovation took place from 1905 to 1936 and the funeral home occupied its new location in 1937. A chapel was added in the 1950s. Rawlings Funeral Home operated at this location until 2021. , (captions) , Built in 1922 by a widow, Margaret Davis, the Davis Hotel was the first Brick building in Sevierville and had hot and cold running water in each of the 22 rooms. , , After the Davis Hotel closed in 1935, Mrs. Davis sold the property to the Rawlings family for the purpose of converting the building into a funeral home. Rawlings Funeral Home operated at this location from 1937 to 2021.