My hometown suffered a devastating loss yesterday. The Hotel McArthur which began operating as a hotel back in the stagecoach days caught fire and suffered severe damage. Situated at the intersection of state routes 50 and 93, this old building has seen a lot over the years and has been a landmark for generations of locals and travelers alike.
While it hasn’t operated as a hotel for many years, plans were underway by a local nonprofit to renovate the building and to create a beautiful place to support the county’s growing tourism industry.
Many of us stood by, helpless and with tears in our eyes as we saw billowing smoke rise high above the village and flames dance through the hotel’s rooftop. We worried for the restaurant next door which suffered water damage.
Our community is blessed to have an amazing network of volunteer fire departments who all responded. And then came the cavalry from neighboring counties. All told, thirteen departments responded to this fire. Without our volunteer firefighters and assistance from our neighbors, the community’s losses could have been much greater.
EMS, ODOT, EMA, the village street department, sheriff’s office and village police all coordinated to keep everyone safe and traffic moving away from the danger.
For much of the day, I could hear from my office the sounds of newly arriving fire trucks, the urgent sirens blaring as tankers left to refill. No sooner would one leave, another would return. It was an intense day and a worrisome one as we all were conscious of the heat and the danger to firefighters who battled the blaze in heavy turnout gear.
There were also people and businesses who showed up. They brought cold drinks and food for the first responders. The bank where I work contributed too. Austin Powder sent a giant tanker full of water. People gathered to watch as this mighty piece of our history was claimed by flames and water. They shook their heads in sorrow, told stories about the past, and some wept at the loss. We all felt a sincere sense of loss for what was and for what might have been with the renovations planned for this building.
This is why small towns are the best. THIS is why I ignore those who criticize places like my small rural community. Our critics simply haven’t stuck around long enough to see what happens when the chips are down. No one struggles alone. We look out for each other. We fuss over the firefighters and worry for their safety. We mourn a collective loss and together we overcome.
This is what small towns do.
I talked to so many people yesterday and we all agreed that we are proud to be part of this community and we are in awe of how many people came from near and far to offer aid. If you are one of those people, please accept my thanks.
Last year I took a walk across the 
There’s a church in uptown Athens that I pass by occasionally. It often causes me to pause and wonder what the deal is but yesterday was the first time I’ve been on foot and really had a chance to do anything more than wonder.
It enjoyed years of prosperity but a declining congregation forced the church to close. Years of neglect and lack of use have been incredibly damaging. You can see the signs of damage from the street but you can see even more from the interior pictures posted online by the group working to save the church. The picture of the inside shown above is not mine but the exterior shots are.
