EUFAULA, Ala. — The Bluff City Inn, a 137-year-old landmark in downtown Eufaula, is set for a new chapter as developers move forward with a major restoration aimed at reviving the city’s historic core.
Built in 1885 by Dr. W.N. Reeves and J.H. Reeves, both officers of the John McNab Bank, the Bluff City Inn once boasted 100 rooms and quickly became a symbol of Eufaula’s prosperity and Southern hospitality. The inn’s classic Southern verandah and prominent location made it a centerpiece of the “Bluff City of the Chattahoochee,” a nickname that still resonates with locals.
The hotel survived a destructive tornado in 1919 and a fire in the 1940s, weathering both natural disaster and the changing tides of fortune in Eufaula. Over the years, it also served as the home of Anne Kendrick Walker, one of Eufaula’s most respected historians, and was the boyhood residence of Gorman Houston, who would later become Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.
Despite its storied past, the Bluff City Inn fell on hard times as the decades wore on. Like many nineteenth-century structures in the South, it was threatened by neglect and calls for demolition, with some residents labeling it an “eyesore” as its condition deteriorated. The building’s decline mirrored broader challenges in downtown Eufaula, where preservation often competed with economic pressures.
Now, a public-private partnership is investing at least $15 million to redevelop the property into an 85-room Marriott-branded boutique hotel, with plans to preserve or restore the historic façade and maintain the building’s architectural integrity. The project aims to boost downtown revitalization and address a shortage of overnight accommodations in the city.
The restoration of the Bluff City Inn marks a significant step for Eufaula, promising to blend the city’s rich history with modern hospitality while safeguarding a beloved piece of its architectural heritage.