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Friends of the Blue Ridge
Index to
members
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GENERAL
FRANCIS MARION HOTEL |
 The
General Francis Marion Hotel is the gem of Marion's historic
downtown district! Built in 1927 as "The only fireproof
hotel between Roanoke, VA and Knoxville, TN", the hotel
has been an architectural and social anchor for Smyth County's
courthouse town for over four generations. The "high-rise"
five-story U-shaped Classical Revival hotel was names in honor
of the famed Revolutionary War hero who is also the town's namesake.
-
 Over
the years, the hotel served as a central gathering point for
the community, hosting numerous weddings, receptions, meetings,
celebrations, civic clubs, many card games, and several notable
overnight guests.
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- On the upper mezzanine, in the
Card Room, visitors are still amazed by the floor tile motif
of playing cards and a trademark black rooster with what appears
to be a bubbling cocktail. Legend has it that the black rooster
was code during Prohibition for "Drinks Served Here".
In the ballroom, the original walnut paneling and oak floor are
still intact, as is the terrazzo floor on all three lobby floors,
the hotel registration desk, switchboard, and a display cabinet
- whichj is now used as a reception station in Capers!,
the hotel's restaurant.
-
 In
decline for years, the hotel was purchased by local business
owners and renovated, reopening in 2006. All rooms have high-speed
data ports and toll-free local calls. The public spaces include
an elegantly restored ballroom, a balcony overlooking downtown
Marion's Historic district, and meeting facilities with state-of-the-art
presentation and communications technologies. The on-site restaurant
Capers! serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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-
 The
new facility is a cornerstone in Marion's revitalization and
the missing "bookend" to the historic Lincoln Theatre
renovation completed in 2004.
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- The hotel was recently awarded
the prestigious "Three Diamond" status from AAA and
has been awarded the Virginia Downtown Development Association's
Award of Excellence for Building Development and Improvements.
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- The building is a contributing
structure to the town's Historic District, and is individually
listed on the Virginia and National Registers of Historic Places.
www.gfmhotel.com
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