Photo by Mike Braswell

The Alexander Hotel

The Alexander Hotel was built in 1892 and entered into the National Register of Historic Places on June 17, 1982. The hotel is histgorically signficant in the areas of architecture, commerce and local history.

The hotel is a rare remaining example of a small late 19th century Victorian Electic style wooden hotel in Georgia. The hotel was originally built by prominent local physician Dr. Orlando Alexander and his family as a place for people to stay when they came to the county seat to conduct business with the county government. He and his family lived there and managed the hotel for many years. It is located at 120 West Brazell St. in Reidsville, GA.

Today the hotel is a civic center for Reidsville and Tattnall County and houses the Greater Tattnall Chamber of Commerce, the Tattnall County Economic Development Authority and the Reidsville Welcome Station. It was further renovated inb 2007.

Residents of Reidsville formed Tattnall County Preservation, Inc. for the express purpose of acquiring and renovating the Alexander Hotel, which had once been a center of community life, but that had fallen into disrepair through neglect. The Alexander Hotel rehabilitation became the town's project, involving all elements of the community, and was completed using only donated labor, materials and funds.

Local fundraising efforts included antique auctions, a Victorian Tea, an arts and crafts show, flea markets, and Old South Suppers on the hotel lawn. Almost all cash donations were in small amounts, the largest being $3,000. Labor was donated by the local residents, with some people investing thousands of hours of their time.

The community effort was rewarded when the project was honored with the President's Historic Preservation Award.

The jury commented, "This project is a superb example of how a small local community can work together to save a building important to the community's heritage. The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 particularly stresses the importance of local historic resources, and this effort demonstrates grassroots preservation at its finest."

The Alexander Hotel is particularly important because of the quality and abundance of its decorative trim, which includes cut wood shingles in the gables and turned columns, sawn work and spindle work on the porches and balconies. Also significant are the suviving outbuildings on the property including a tool shed/storehouse, servants' quarters, a flower put, a storage shed and a barn.