THE BROADWAY HOTEL
Est. Between 1873-1878
Featured in the Museum’s current exhibit, “Welcome to Historic Broadway.”
The following history of the Broadway Hotel is based on a research project completed by Tony Biller for his 8th grade history class in 1980 at John C. Myers Middle School in Broadway, VA. His teacher was Gayle Lohr.
In 1873, William Minnick purchased land on the west side of the railroad tracks in Broadway from Dr. John Winfield. Sometime before 1878, he built a two-story house called the Minnick Hotel. It had twelve rooms, a lobby with double fireplaces, an attic, and a basement. Outbuildings included a slaughterhouse, a wagon maker’s shop, and a blacksmith shop. Minnick hoped to take advantage of the emergence of Broadway as a shipping center for livestock and other local products by railroad or by water on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.
In 1878, Minnick declared bankruptcy and sold the hotel at public auction to David Rolston. Twenty days later, he sold it to Sarah F. Steigel who in partnership with George W. Hoover established the Hoover Hotel. In the lobby, they added a barbershop operated by “Pegleg” Callahan (He had a wooden leg.) And a millinery shop specializing in women’s hats. Beside the hotel was a saloon and across the RR tracks were stock pens. In 1882, Steigel and Hoover in collaboration with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad dug a well and built a water tower for local and RR use.
George Hoover died in the 1880’s leaving the hotel to his son. It was renamed the Arlington Hotel and later converted to a boarding house. In 1908, the Hoover family sold hotel to two brothers, Melvin K. And M. B. Sandy. At one point the boarding house was so full that it was called the “beehive.” In 1920 M. B. Sandy assumed full ownership, built a planning mill, and converted the hotel into a private residence. In later years, the family of his daughter Hazel Ritchie lived in the house. Hazel was the grandmother of Tony Miller whose research project is cited here.
The full history is available at the Museum and will be on display until July.
VIRTUAL TOUR OF
BROADWAY’S HISTORIC DISTRICT
Now available on our website.
Take a stroll down historic Main Street in Broadway. Helen Smith and Tammy Cullers will be your guides as you revisit the old stores, houses, and businesses that once lined Main Street.
The photographic tour is based on the A. W. Whitmore Photography Collection of Broadway donated to the Museum by Jay Stuart Whitmore and from the Museum’s archives.
COMING IN JULY
A NEW EXHIBIT CELEBRATING THE
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF
PLAINS DISTRICT MEMORIAL MUSEUM
1998-2023
PLAINS DISTRICT MEMORIAL MUSEUM
PO Box 601
176 N. Main St., Timberville VA 22853
540-896-7900
Email: plainsmuseum@comcast.net
Website: http://plainsmuseum.com
