As many folks have read on the historic marker outside of Woods Animal Hospital, Norcross once boasted four fancy smancy hotels! The Brunswick was on that site and the Medlock was down Thrasher Street at the corner of Holcomb Bridge. I have never discovered the names or locations of the other two, but I have been told they were likely on the other side of the tracks.
The Brunswick had three stories of wrap around porches while the Medlock was a two story structure. Both hosted guests coming to seek refuge from a dirty hot Atlanta. The air was clear and cooler in Norcross. Folks sat and sipped Coca-Cola on the verandas while listening to the bands that played under the pavilion of Dobson Park (now named Thrasher Park).
This summer my husband and I sought that same refuge in the South Georgia town of St. Marys, with it's canopy of trees dripping Spanish moss, the city faces the St. Marys river, the border there between our home state and sunny Florida. Our vacation plans were originally to drive straight to St. Augustine, Florida, but we choose to add a weekend to the front end of the trip and simply goggled..."things to do in Southeast Georgia". Up popped Cumberland Island, a spot we've never been to before, and seeing as it's an island only to be reached by ferry, we investigated a hotel for our stay close to said ferry. Hence, we booked three nights at the River View Hotel, a short walk to the ferry.
It looked quaint on the website.
How is this related to the Norcross hotels?
Staying there, except for being on the waterfront, was like being thrown into old Norcross, as it must have been around 1900. It was like a movie scene set in the industrial age. In fact, Andrew Carnegie stayed in one of the rooms, each of which is decorated by themes and dually named. The hotel, built in 1916, has been owned and operated by the Brandon Family since the 1920's. Sallie Brandon purchased the Hotel with the help of her two sisters, Miss Semora and Miss Ethel, (one room is indeed named 'The Three Sisters') established a reputation as hospitable hostesses, transforming guests into friends. Southern style cooking drew many St. Marys families away from their own dining room tables, and visitors found a home away from home. The hotel is operated in the same warmth and tradition today as in yester year.
This must have been the experience visitors to Norcross enjoyed.
All 18 rooms of the River View, numbers run to 20 but there is no '13' and 9 was opened up allowing guests access to the porch, are named for someone or something.
The 'Nimitz', was named after Admiral Chester Nimitz and his wife, frequent guests at the hotel.
The 'Carnegie' Room, as I mentioned, was named for Andrew Carnegie, who was the richest man in the world in 1901. He stayed there on a visit to his brother, Thomas, who was building the grand home on the area of the island donated by the family and now used as a national seaside park on Cumberland island.
Another room is named after comic strip cartoonist Roy Crane, another for one time Georgia Governor Eugene Talmadge, one is titled for the nearby Okefenokee Swamp, and another honors the name of Georgia Supreme Court Justice Richard B. Russell.
Then, we get to room # 2.
Our room for three nights!
Named the Poke McHenry Room after a local newspaperman and folk humor writer for the Jacksonville Times Union. McHenry also wrote the scripts for historic walks around town, who does that remind you of? My husband thinks it seems fitting for me to stay in a room named for a fellow who is also sharp with a pen. A portrait of Mr. McHenry hangs over the bed. How relaxed he looks, portrayed sitting by the river with a fishing pole in hand.
"This is just lovely," I tell my husband in a nearly gleeish (I just made that word up) tone.
"What a treat to stay here."
At least that's what I believe at the time.
After check in (and a pet to the head of the resident cat) we prepare our clothes and backpacks and cooler for the ferry ride in the morning, staying mindful of the instructions that you can only take in what you can carry and no snack shops are on the island, only a water fountain.
Sunscreen ~ check.
Hats~ check.
Comfortable walking shoes~check.
Bug spray~check.
We head out walking along the river whose water is eerily black, not with pollution, but as a result of mineral deposits. Beautiful and breezy the view is so calming, buoys bounce with the tides, flags are flapping in the wind, the boats' rigging's clank as the they shift back and forth on their moorings... it is a clean town we have discovered, nicely kept, and seemingly welcoming to us. We locate the Ranger station, to assure ourselves we know where to check in by 8 am the next day, and spot the afternoon ferry boat, named 'The Cumberland Queen', steaming into port full of day travelers as well as those who have been camping over night (not an option we even considered... preferring a nice comfortable bed and a good night's sleep, thank you).
The travelers seem cheerful and slightly sun kissed, but of course this rainy summer has left them a little wet headed as well. They are talkative as they cross the ferry's gang plank stepping onto to dry ground. It appears a trip to the island is one of those great days of exercise, sight seeing, and making pleasant conversation with strangers. We are getting excited about our approaching Saturday trip to Cumberland Island!
Heading back towards the hotel we pop in a general store (again reminiscent of old Norcross we ponder) and order our boxed lunch (to be picked up fresh in the morning) of turkey sandwiches, pasta salad, and chips...we are ready!
It is now cocktail hour (finally) and we belly up to a couple of local bar stools. We introduce ourselves to the self proclaimed 'meanest bartender this side of the Missip', who asks where we are from. We begin singing 'It's a Small World' as she tells us her aunt and uncle's names and low and behold they have lived two doors down from us on Lake Drive in Norcross for 30 years!
So, although we miss the regular libations of our Norcross 'haunt', this place feels comfortable and we quickly sip ourselves into vacation mode! A hour or so of pleasant conversation and background music by a guitar strumming fellow that cheerfully does not appear to be able to quite finish a song (by this time in the evening no one in the bar appears cares if he does) we head upstairs to sit for a bit on the porch. We rock to rhythm of the river's tide, and speak of how many ways this serene place reminds us of Norcross.
After dining on a scrumptious meal ordered up from SEAGLE'S RESTAURANT AND SALOON, located on the first floor, we snuggle in the four poster bed of room #2 as the ceiling fan lulls us to sleep, Ole Poke McHenry guarding our dreams, or so we suppose...
(next week's blog will reveal our rather 'sleepless' first night at the River View Hotel and I'll let you in on who truly 'guards' room # 2)
