The Fitzpatrick Hotel
Room at the inn: the way things used to be

BY APRYL CHAPMAN THOMAS

Rooms at the Fitzpatrick Hotel are on the second and third floors; the hotel lobby, restaurant, and three retail stores occupy the first floor. (Photo by Gary Meek.)

A fire in 1895 on their family's business property called brothers J.H. and T.M. Fitzpatrick home to Washington, Ga. Determined to rebuild, the brothers constructed what was considered the grandest hotel in the area.

According to the Washington- Wilkes Downtown Development Authority and the Washington Wilkes Historical Society, the Fitzpatrick Hotel opened in 1898, a time when the city was returning to normal after a fire had nearly destroyed all of the downtown. This very modern, three-story hotel was the pinnacle for the thriving seat of Wilkes County. People would travel to The Fitzpatrick to enjoy a meal and a place to stay.

Exchanging hands and names (Columbus Inn and Washington Inn) throughout the years, the property enjoyed a healthy run until 1953, when it closed for good. Still, it wasn't forgotten; many visionaries saw its potential, but could not carry it through. In 1982, the building was added to the National Register for Historic Places. Facing an uncertain future, residents didn't know what was going to happen to the building until 2002 when a group of people stepped in with a plan.

Christy Todd of Athens really didn't give Washington much thought as she bypassed it during her travels. She considered it a cute, quaint little town. Little did she know that her husband, father and a friend would have an integral part in transforming Washington's downtown landscape.

You could say that historic preservation and restoration are in Christy's blood. Together, she and her husband, Mike, have restored more than 10 houses in Athens, but they would find their biggest challenge waiting for them in Washington -- The Fitzpatrick Hotel.

Owners Christy and Mike Todd stand in front of he recently renovated Fitzpatrick Hotel, which had been shuttered for more than half a century. (Photo by Joseph Baldwin.)

The whole situation happened by accident.

"I had a friend who kept urging me to go and see this old hotel in Washington," Christy says." One Saturday afternoon, I went to take a look and when I saw the building, I was immediately enamored by the architecture. I knew I had to save the building."

The Todds, along with the other two partners, Christy's father, Amit Metha, and friend Jim Carter, purchased The Fitzpatrick with solid plans to reopen the hotel within a couple of years.

Shuttered for nearly half a century, the Todds soon realized that The Fitzpatrick Hotel would be the largest restoration project they had ever taken on, beginning with how to remove a tree that had grown inside of the property. There was also substantial water damage to repair.

Even with those obstacles, Christy's focus was on the architectural elements that were still evident.
"Even though the property had been neglected, there was a lot that could be salvaged," she remembers.
And salvage they did. Even in the hotel's dilapidated state, some pieces survived -- like the heart-pine flooring on the second and third floors.

"The front lobby desk is the original, and so is the staircase between the first and second floor," says Christy. "The vast majority of the stamped-tin ceiling and window frames in the ballroom were saved. The interior arches, wrought-iron railings and, for the most part, the fireplaces were still intact.
"We had a lot to work with, but still had a lot to accomplish," she says.

Within a 22-month period, the group worked feverishly to restore the Victorian-style hotel back to its original appearance (and "not butcher it," Christy adds) by using old photos to guide them as they worked on the exterior, and purchasing period antiques and using period-style colors for the interior.

"We were lucky enough to have the help of one of the (Fitzpatrick) brothers' granddaughters who remembered what the hotel looked like in its heyday," she says. "She had a lot of memorabilia from the hotel that we used."

Satisfied that The Fitzpatrick Hotel looked like it did when it first opened; the hotel had its grand reopening in June 2004.

"It was exciting and encouraging," Christy says. "All the rooms were booked."

Today, the hotel's tagline says it all, "Experience the way things used to be." And while you don't have to take a mule-led trolley to get there, you do feel like you have been transported to another time.

This 17-room hotel includes a two-room suite, along with a handful of other suite-like rooms. Every room has a private bath, complete with antique, claw-foot tubs. The Fitzpatrick Hotel offers a touch of modern conveniences here and there as well, with satellite television and DSL Internet. In addition, the property houses special-event facilities and a restaurant.

What does the future hold for the Todds and The Fitzpatrick Hotel? They own the annex building and have considered adding more hotel rooms. But whatever they eventually decide to do, Christy stresses it will be "something specifically historic."

"Washington has done a lot to revitalize the downtown area," Christy notes. "We hope that we had a large part in the revitalization."

Apryl Chapman Thomas is a freelance writer living in Watkinsville.

Relax in the living room in one of the hotel’s suites. (Photo by Gary Meek.)

While staying in Washington

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982, The Fitzpatrick Hotel stays relatively busy throughout the year, especially during the University of Georgia football season. Close enough to all the action (Athens is about an hour away; Augusta -- a little more than an hour), but far away enough from bustling scenes to relax and reflect.
While staying at the hotel, don't miss some of Washington's sites, such as Callaway Plantation and the Robert Toombs House.

The downtown area is active with performances by the Washington Little Theatre Company. Also the first Saturday each month from May through October is Market Day on the Square, featuring local arts and crafts. The square is also the site of the Fall Cruise In/Antique Car Show on Sept. 9. For more information on events and activities in and around Washington, visit www.washingtonwilkes.com.

The Fitzpatrick Hotel is located at 16 West Square in Washington. For more information, call (706) 678-5900 or visit www.thefitzpatrickhotel.com.