Vinton County CVB Unveils Restoration Timeline for Historic Hotel McArthur

The Vinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau has published a detailed restoration timeline for Hotel McArthur, the 186-year-old building at 101 East Main Street in downtown McArthur that holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving structure still in use in Vinton County. The schedule, prepared by Schooley Caldwell architects, is posted on the bureau's Facebook page and at facebook.com/hotelmcarthurohio.

The project carries a planned renovation budget of $2.5 million and received a significant financial boost when the organization learned at the end of January that Sen. Jon Husted had secured approximately $5 million in new federal funding for the restoration. Audie Games, president of the visitors bureau, said the group had sought congressional support for the project the previous year before the funding was confirmed. The project is also awaiting a state brownfield remediation grant to cover debris cleanup and structural stabilization following a fire in July that caused severe damage to the building.

The restoration plan calls for stripping away remodeling work done between the 1970s and 1990s and returning the hotel to its appearance during its heyday years of 1840 to 1940. On the exterior, stone veneer will be replaced with historically accurate brick, and lighting fixtures will be updated to period-appropriate styles. Not everything modern will disappear: the 1940s "Hotel McArthur" neon sign currently hanging over the main entrance will be preserved, restored, and relocated to the rear of the building near a planned new guest swimming pool.

The VCCVB purchased the building from a private owner in December 2021 with the restoration in mind. Built in 1839, the hotel has housed saloons, restaurants, barbers, and newspaper operations over its nearly two centuries of continuous use. Local lore holds that tunnels beneath the building once connected it to houses across the street and were allegedly used to shelter runaway slaves as part of the Underground Railroad. Guests have also long reported hearing footsteps on the staircase and the sound of heavy objects being moved upstairs.

The bureau projects the restored hotel will support 11 new jobs. Revenue generated from leased business space and hotel operations is slated to fund new VCCVB staff positions and tourism initiatives across the county, including events, festivals, and infrastructure projects for the Vinton County Park District.

The project's path has not been without turbulence. In 2024, the county prosecutor and commissioners requested the entire bureau staff resign, citing concerns over financial irregularities and alleged mismanagement. Those leaders are no longer with the CVB, and the county commissioners subsequently created a separate division of tourism called Discover Vinton County. The current bureau, with Games at its helm, has since moved to secure the congressional funding and publish the Schooley Caldwell timeline as formal markers of the project moving forward.

The VCCVB can be reached at 740-974-7091. Renovation progress updates are posted at facebook.com/hotelmcarthurohio.