Dale County AlArchives Photo place.....Ozark's First Hotel October 15 1970
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Christine Thacker http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00033.html#0008100 May 4, 2004, 3:38 pm

Source: Southern Star  (Centnnial Edition )
Photo can be seen at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/dale/photos/gph185ozarksfi.jpg
Image file size: 155.3 Kb

 OZARK HOTELS OF THE PAST

  Before the advent of the automobile an amusing sight to the traveler as he 
stepped from the train was the barking of the Negro porters, vying for the 
travelers as they stood by their surreys.
  The first hotel Ozark had was the Gordon C. Matthews Hotel.This was in his 
private home which was a large two story dwelling and was only able to 
accommodate a few guests. This hotel was located on the site presently occupied 
by The Commercial Bank, and was later used as an annex to the Merchants Hotel 
and in later years referred to as the Painter House.
  The next hotel was "The Speller House" and was located over H. C. Dowling's 
Dry Goods Company.
  The third hotel was called, "The Transient House" and was run by W. R. 
Painter, the name of this hotel was later changed to "The Merchants Hotel" 
after it located on the corner where the Post Office now stands.
  Another hotel of importance in the early years was the Mixon Hotel, which is 
still in operation, and was founded around 1914.
  The Mills Hotel was built on North Union Ave. in 1942 and
was torn down in 1969.
  At various times there were numerous boarding houses in operation, the 
Dowling House, located on Wilkins St., which was torn down some two years ago, 
being one of the prominent ones during the early 1900s.

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