From Railroad Boomtown to Restored Landmark
Built in 1915 to serve the Virginia Creeper Railroad, the West Jefferson Hotel has always been the heart of commerce and community in Ashe County.
The Birth of a Town and Its Hotel
In the early 1900s, the Virginia Carolina Railroad (known as the "Virginia Creeper" line) was built from Abingdon, Virginia into Ashe County as a means to extract the area's bountiful timber. This brought new life to the region, once called the ‘Lost Provinces’ due to the region's isolation within the Blue Ridge Mountains. When the tracks arrived, so did West Jefferson — and in 1915, the West Jefferson Hotel opened its doors directly across from the train depot.
The Old Hotel Through the Years
For more than a century, the West Jefferson Hotel has stood at the center of town life. Each era tells a different chapter of West Jefferson’s story. Step back through time and discover how this landmark has shaped — and been shaped by — the people of Ashe County.
West Jefferson is Founded
In 1915, the West Jefferson Hotel was built, which founded the town of West Jefferson. Tragedy struck January 1, 1916, when the hotel burned down. The rebuilding started immediately and a larger block-long, all brick structure was reopened in 1917 (the one you see today). Being one of the first buildings in town, the hotel housed the town’s bank, barbershop, post office, café, bus station, library, police station and hotel. More than just a place to stay, the hotel quickly became the hub of the community, offering modern comforts like electric lights, indoor plumbing, and radiator heat to a region experiencing rapid change.
The Boom Years and the Bus Line
The West Jefferson Hotel existed in a time when transportation technology was rapidly changing from horses to automobiles. This is reflected in the building's unique mix of beveled and flat windows. Additionally, hotel patriarch E.O. Woodie expanded the hotel’s role by starting a transportation service from its lobby with his Ford Model T Roadster. This grew into a four-state bus line, connecting West Jefferson to cities across the Southeast and even Washington, D.C. The hotel thrived as a center of business and hospitality, welcoming tobacco buyers, lumber executives, and summer travelers seeking the cool mountain air. The West Jefferson Hotel stood as the beating heart of a booming mountain town.
Railroad Closing and Hotel Decline
A few events triggered the start of the hotel's gradual decline. The bus line was sold to Trailways in the late 1950s, which closed its operation in West Jefferson. Additionally, E.O. Woodie suffered a serious head injury when he was thrown from a bucking horse. Thirdly, the Virginia Creeper pulled up its tracks in 1977 and the West Jefferson Hotel ceased its operations as a hotel. Without steady revenue, the building could not support its maintenance. Like many once-grand buildings, it fell into a fragile state with faulty wiring, failing roof and floor structures, and obsolete, leaking plumbing. Modern day hotel owner, Joanne Woodie (E.O. Woodie’s daughter-in-law) loved the building and prayed that she would find someone who would invest the time and resources to restore it.
A Historic Landmark Restored
In 2019, Joanne’s prayers were answered when Mark Beck purchased the hotel. After five years of meticulous restoration — overcoming local opposition, a global pandemic, and Hurricane Helene — the West Jefferson Hotel was saved. In 2025, the hotel reopened its doors as a hotel for the first time in 50 years. The new “Old Hotel” features many artifacts of historical and artistic importance, including: 18th century lead glass chandeliers above the hotel’s grand staircase entrance, the hotel’s original parlor furniture, a restored 1843 square grand piano that has been in the Beck family for seven generations, original hotel doors, early electric light fixtures plus an extensive collection of original artwork from the area. Many items came to the hotel as gifts—this includes the hotel’s original telephone, town founder Tam Bowie's safe, an antique clock, sets of fine china, beautiful furniture, vases, and more. Family-owned and run, the hotel stands ready for its next century as a symbol of resilience and renewal in the heart of West Jefferson.
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Experience the West Jefferson Hotel
After 45 years of waiting, this 1917 gem returns as an elegant 17-room getaway in the heart of the High Country.
