Historic Hotel Seeks Artistic Future

By Jill Henderson

In the small town of Berryville, Arkansas, a piece of Ozarks history is slowly re-emerging from the past, thanks to two dedicated souls with a dream. Six years ago, Alexander Virden and his partner Sandra Doss, sold everything they owned - including their own home - to finance the restoration of a 109 year old landmark known as the Grand View Hotel. Their dream - to turn the abandoned and condemned beauty into a thriving community arts center and local gathering place. After pouring all of their own money into completing the main floor, the duo now lack the resources to fully complete their dream of a non-profit center for the arts. This is their story.

The small town of Berryville, AR is nestled between the show-town of Branson, MO to the north and the arts and antiques hub of Eureka Springs to the west. Like most small Ozark towns, Berryville has a long and interesting history. The Grand View Hotel - originally christened the Saint George Hotel - was built in 1902 to service passengers on an excursion train offered by the Missouri & Arkansas Railroad. It was a hotel built with style and grace in mind. Every brick on the exterior of the building was made by hand in Berryville and the trim work, stairs, floors and banisters were made of the finest grade oak. The walls of the hotel are nineteen inches thick and every floor is graced by enormous floor to ceiling windows.....

Read the entire article at Show Me Oz

Sign the Change.org petition to Governor Mike Beebe to help save the Grand View Hotel