House on the Hill
On
the precipice of a wooded
hilltop in West Virginia, an aged and forgotten hotel silently
overlooks the Potomac river, as it has done day in and out since it
first opened in 1888. Years ago travelers would arrive from all over
the country to relax and experience the beautiful scenery for which
this hotel had become famous for. Notable guests to this hilltop
resort included Mark Twain, Alexander Graham Bell, Pearl S. Buck, and
former president Woodrow Wilson. Today, the hallways of this once bustling travel destination have fallen silent. The last remaining patrons being the wild animals which have come to nest in the walls, and the numerous stray cats who dwell just out of sight. Initially closed years back to undergo renovations, the hotel has yet to reopen, nor has any real structural repair work been completed. The most notable effort put forth comes in the form of a tattered plastic tarp, which is nailed over a ten foot square void in the second floor of the building - A futile attempt to keep the elements from further eroding the hotel's old wooden framework. Most of the rooms here have been emptied out, likely in preparation for the repair work that never came to pass, so little remains to hint at what past splendors the place may have offered.
That being said – knowing the long history which this place holds, and seeing the interiors so barren and devoid of life, causes a strange stir of emotions. Throughout the resorts many rooms, numerous leaks in the roof have led to decaying ceilings, walls, and floors. Mold is of course prevalent, covering the moist wood and carpeting in a thin membrane of translucent slime. The spores of which fill the air to an uncomfortable degree. Though this hotel has endured many hardships in the 100+ years upon it's hilltop, including two massive fires, what may finally spell its demise is simple neglect.
Ivy forces its way inside through broken and unsealed windows.
The lobby was completely empty, save for a few moving boxes which were left behind.
After the fire of 1919, which destroyed nearly the entire building.
Reconstruction of the hotel in 1920.
