The Magnificent Pine Forest Inn
Originally publishedOctober 21, 2014
The Pine Forest Inn sat on 60 acres and opened its doors in 1891. The internationally renowned hotel had four floors, elevators, 150 sleeping apartments and hosted several famous guest including U.S. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.The Inn had its own power plant, telegraph office and long distance telephone service. The Inn also housed three water supplies: an artesian well for mineral water, spring water and a charcoal purifying cistern.
The weekly rate in the 1934-35 season was $49 for a single room with private bath and $168 for a double, which included meals.
In addition to the enormous rooms the Pine Forest Inn had a glassed in rocking chair porch with 150 rockers and a dining room that was larger than the 1,600 square foot dining room inside the White House.
If the above was not enough reason to stay at the magnificent Pine Forest Inn the amenities also included bowling alleys, shuffle board, billiards, a swimming pool, 18- hole golf course that sat on 130 acres (today's Corey Woods), hunting, fishing, tennis, croquet and a 50 horse stable.
In the mid 1930's the Inn diminished in popularity and closed. It was reopened by T.W. Salisbury in 1939. During World War II the Inn housed officers and defense workers and after the war the Inn was transformed into the Adventure School- A progressive school before it's time. The Adventure School had only one graduating class.
The Inn was later demolished by Mr. Salisbury for fear of fire. With preservation in mind Mr. Salisbury removed as much of the interior as possible. Many Summerville homes have mantelpieces from the Inn.
Today the site of the Inn is now home to a residential community known as President Circle. The only remaining part of the Pine Forest Inn is the entrance gates.
