The "Rhea County News," Thursday, April 1, 1971 Two 'Old" Rhea Springers Recall Days of Big Hotel there. The following information was supplied to the paper by Mrs. Elizabeth (Wasson) Womac and Mrs. Virginia Gross. They had a copy of an old pamphlet prepared many years before by Mr. M.S. Gibson, manager of the Rhea Springs Hotel Company. …………Mrs. Womac and Mrs. Gross: "… when Mr. M.S. Gibson built the original hotel he built the spring house. He always locked it in the evening and thus deprived the public of the use of it's waters for free. Only the Leuty and Wasson families were allowed free water (having keys) for some reason. He shipped the water all over the United States and to some foreign countries. Bill Thedford has an old 5-gallon demi-john at his store next to the post office now and that jug might have been from that period. Piney got on one of it's big rampages shortly after that and washed away the spring house, and it was never replaced as a business. The bridal chamber was a unique suite at that time, and only the most elaborate city hotels maintained them then. The walls were papered in bold designs of reds, yellows, and greens; and the thick velvet carpet was of the same hues. Big, heavy ecru lace curtains hung at the long windows. The hotel lobby was done in rich, deep browns. There was a metal ceiling with a dropped border, and the border was very beautiful in its intricate designs. The front porch of the original hotel building (it was four stories) was always a busy place in the summer times. It was wide and long, Shown in the picture is Mrs. John Neal, mother of Dr. John Neal. The boy in the rocking chair is Vaughn or Burkett Miller, and the gentleman leaning against the column is Alex Frazier. There were three parlors, each very handsomely decorated and furnished. Again there were reds, yellows, and browns in the wall paper and carpets. Each room had a beautiful piano. (Mrs. Womac) I remember the lovely velvet love seats. One parlor had a "fainting couch" which always intrigued the young people around the hotel. The billiard room's walls were the same as those in the lobby. All lighting, some very beautiful, was with gas. Electricity was not then available. All the bedrooms were light and airy, and each had its wrought iron or brass bedstead, marble-topped dressers and wash stands. There were not bathrooms at that time. There were bowls, pitchers and other toilet accessories such as soap dishes, etc. The dining room was the focal spot for all the social activities as well as used for eating. Every summer there was an orchestra-in-residence to furnish music for dining, dancing, afternoon teas, concerts, etc., and at one time there was a band stand over the spring. This was a favorite gathering space in the evenings, and the music and singing would last well into the night. Saturdays were special days in every way. Fancy balls were frequent, and people came from miles around and from neighboring cities in Tennessee as well as from out of state for these gala, formal events. Mrs. Gross had a handwritten invitation which she treasures greatly. It was carefully space and read thusly: Compliments of John Leuty to Miss Parmelia Neal And would be pleased to accompany her to the ball, Saturday evening, August 27, 1887. The late Mrs. Wheelock, a sister of Miss Neal, said once that her sister accepted the invitation with an equally formal reply." (The article was accompanied by several pictures-EC) Edna Clack