Lithia Springs Hotel

  The Lithia Springs Hotel, pictured circa 1910, was completed in 1892 during what was known as the “First Boom". The most outstanding building built during Tallapoosa's Yankee-created boom years. Begun in 1881, it was completed in 1882, the year that the railroad came to Tallapoosa.

The Lithia Springs Hotel was the largest wooden structure East of the Mississippi River in 1892. (This hotel should not be confused with one of the same name in Lithia Springs in nearby Douglas County) The Hotel had 175 rooms and was constructed for a total of $200,000. The furnishings cost $75. 000. It was located on Boulevard.

The Hotel boasted elevators, a large ballroom, a banquet hall, billiards and pool room, and a bowling alley. There were 12 landscaped acres in the park. There were tennis courts, riding trails, but probably the most interesting feature to the people's health was the mineral springs on the grounds.

The water contained bromine-lithium, once considered the most valuable alkaline known to the medical profession. This was found only in the southeast from south Pennsylvania to Georgia.

The steam railroad passed just a short distance away. People came from many parts of the country to partake of the healing waters.  A round trip ticket to Tallapoosa from New York by train took 32 hours and cost $38.65 for a round trip ticket.

The Hotel was dismantled in 1942-1943. Several homes were built in Tallapoosa with some of the materials. The copper roof and remainder of the building was sold to the US Navy.

    The Lithia Springs Hotel Bell still resides in Tallapoosa.