After discovering the above article about my great-grandparents, Anderson and Elizabeth Payne, I became curious about the the Tate Springs Resort. I earned it was built after the Civil War by Samuel Tate. He bought 2,500 acres surrounding a nearby spring and built a grand Victorian-style hotel that could house as many as 500 guests. Later, Capt. Thomas Tomlinson bought the property and transformed the hotel into a world class luxury resort. He touted the healing properties of the spring’s mineral-rich waters. The resort’s upscale amenities and gracious southern hospitality attracted wealthy American families including the Fords, Rockefellers, Firestones, Studebakers and Mellons, most of whom arrived in luxury in their private rail cars.
In the early 1900’s, a cottage could be had from $17.50 to $21 per week. For just $3.50 more, one could be had with a private bath.
Bean Station is on the other side of Clinch Mountain from Lone Mountain, about a 30- minute drive today. In 1905, however, the Paynes would have traveled by train, directly from Lone Mountain to a passenger depot at the resort.
The advent of automobile travel and the bad economic times that came with the Great Depression marked a sad end to both the railroad and the resort. The original hotel finally closed in 1936. (from A Brief History of Bean Station)
