The Central Hotel, also called the New Central Hotel was probably built by Frank and Eva Hill prior to 1880.  It was located near the railroad depot on the south side of Main Street directly across from the site of the Showerman Hotel which burned to the ground in the 1878 fire that destroyed both sides of Main Street. The first mention of the hotel being open is in an article from June of 1880, praising the hotel and Mrs. Rouse, the proprietor. Additional articles in 1880 and 1885 show that the hotel continues to be an important business in town.  They provided not only housing for travelers and visiting…

One of the early businesses in Spartansburg was the Lakeview Hotel.  In 1862, CW Hewell opened the St Nichlas Hotel on the northwest corner of Main and Water streets.  During his proprietorship, the hotel was called by the name St. Nichlas and the Hewell House.   During Hewell’s ownership, the hotel survived the first major fire (1878) that burned both sides of Main Street. In about 1886, Jerome Hyatt and his family took ownership of the hotel, and remained there through yet another fire in 1898.  In 1899, Hyatt moved on and CE “Cap” Boyle became host to guests at the hotel. For the next several years, the hotel continued to…