The 1898 Waverly Inn, our historic western North Carolina inn, was erected in 1898. The Queen Anne style bed and breakfast was built as a two-and-a-half-story hotel with dormer windows on the third floor and a wraparound porch at street level in the Queen Anne style. Originally known as the Anderson Boarding House, the name was changed to The Waverly before 1915. In 2010 the name was changed just slightly to 1898 Waverly Inn to reflect the historic nature of the Inn.
The main entrance is the original double paneled and glazed door, set in an ornamental surround with fluted pilasters and applied floral jigsaw trim, including a three-leaf clover motif on the lintel over the door.
Following a fire about 1910, which did extensive roof damage, the walls were extended to create a third story, and a second-story porch was added above the main porch. Additions were built in 1940 and 1960. Both additions are used for the owners' quarters today. The sides of the wrap-around porch were enclosed to make the library and a guest bathroom. At the back of the lobby is an Eastlake-style staircase. This style of staircase is rare in the south and was originally stained mahogany. Underneath the staircase is the original registration desk, still in use today.
Historic Inns, Inc., owned by John and Diane
Sheiry, purchased The Waverly Inn in 1988. At
the time John and Diane purchased the inn, it
had 22 bedrooms and eight bathrooms. During
subsequent renovations they expanded rooms,
added bathrooms to each room, and incorporated
The Wormy Chestnut Wing into their (owners')
quarters. John and Diane, along with Diane's
sister Darla Olmstead, reside in the inn and
operate it on a daily basis.
Today the 1898 Waverly Inn offers 15 rooms all
with private baths, three sitting rooms, a library,
dining room, office, and owners' quarters. Some
of the amenities provided for inn guests are Egyptian
cotton towels, luxury sheets, wireless Internet,
bubble bath and pillows for those deep claw-footed
tubs, cable television and DVD players, data ports,
full breakfast, Darla's scrumptious cookies and
cakes, and evening social hour. |