The Carmichael Inn in Loudon is another historic building getting a new lease on life thanks to the Family Pride Corporation of Knoxville. According to Family Pride’s general manager, Rick Dover, the Inn will eventually house a café upon completion and along with the Orme/Wilson Warehouse, will be a part of the new waterfront development his company is creating.

 “We have plans for a gourmet chef to run the cafe,” said Dover, “and patrons will be able to enjoy lunch outside on the deck. Then they can go next door to the Wharf Street Coffeehouse, which will be located in the Orme/Wilson building, and have a cup of coffee to finish their meal.”

 Located behind the courthouse, in the shadow of the U.S. 11 bridge in Loudon, the Carmichael Inn is a bit like a cat with nine lives being brought back yet again from the brink of extinction. The log structure originally stood on the opposite side of the Tennessee River on Quarry Road where it fell into disarray after decades of use as both an inn and a private residence.

 

If you are looking for information on the Inn or on the history of Loudon itself, Ham and Betty Carey are a great place to start. Not only are they welcoming town ambassadors – and gracious hosts – Betty is also a direct descendent of the Carmichael family.

Over the years, the Careys have amassed a huge file of information on the area. They are happy to share their knowledge in an effort to educate those who are interested in Loudon and the families that were instrumental in its founding and growth.

 In 1987, Loudon County Heritage Association raised money to buy the Inn from the owner who had plans to sell it to an out-of-state buyer interested in purchasing the logs. Part of the sale agreement was that the building had to be moved. A site was chosen across the river and a group was hired to dismantle, transport and reassemble the Inn on the new site.

 “They put tags on both ends of the logs so they could reassemble them exactly as they had been,” said Ham. “The group that did it were experts and did a beautiful job.”

 The building was then used for a time as a museum.

 Dating back to the first decade of the last century, the Carmichael Inn played a vital part in Loudon’s history. John Hudson Carmichael most probably built the inn around 1800, or at least a good portion of it. Over the years, the Carmichaels opened their home to boarders who passed through Loudon.

 Family stories add a “face” to those who once called the Inn home.

 Although undocumented, one such tale passed down through the generations gives insight into conditions in the area during the Civil War.

 “My great grandfather, James Carmichael, was away in the Confederate Army,” said Betty. “They heard the Yankees coming, so the family hid their livestock, food and any valuables. The Yankees did come, and they assumed the valuables were hidden in the featherbed.”

 “It was December,” Betty continued. “The soldiers picked up my great grandmother and her baby on a quilt and set them outside a window. They ripped up the bed looking for anything of value. Then they lifted mother and child back through the window and put them on the bed.”

 “They probably never did find anything,” Betty said. “They maybe just thought she was hiding something because she was in bed during the daytime.  Although it was because she had just given birth to her child.”

 Family Pride Corporation has plans to build, renovate and renew portions of Loudon along the Tennessee River waterfront with the intention of attracting new residents to the area. The Carmichael Inn will be a welcome and vital part of this emerging community.