Vinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau Purchases 1839 Hotel McArthur for Renovation

The Vinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau (VCCVB) purchased the Hotel McArthur at 101 East Main St. in McArthur and unveiled plans to restore the 1839 building into a mixed-use visitor hub and boutique lodging anchor for county tourism. The purchase closes a chapter on private ownership and sets a course for renovation that VCCVB values at roughly $2.5 million, with a separate $2.825-million Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization program (AMLER) grant application tied to the broader county project having been recommended for award by state officials.

The building is the county’s oldest surviving structure still in use and sits at the intersection of State Route 93 and U.S. Route 50. Kathryn Matteson accepted VCCVB’s $275,000 offer on December 17, 2021, transferring ownership after decades in the Hogan and Matteson families. The structure — known in the 1860s as the Hulbert House and in the 1930s as the Lantz-Hamilton Hotel — was renamed Hotel McArthur by Paul Hogan in 1946. The hotel, historically tiny with “only 12 or so rooms,” closed in the mid-2010s.

VCCVB’s renovation concept, as published by VisitVintonCounty, calls for removing later remodels from the 1970s through the 1990s and restoring the exterior and interior to reflect its 1840–1940 heyday. Exterior work includes replacing the current stone veneer with “historically accurate brick veneer and lighting fixtures,” rebuilding a mansard roof to replace the current flat roof, and relocating the five-ton HVAC system from the roof to ground level. VisitVintonCounty also says the 1940s “Hotel McArthur” neon sign will be restored and moved to the rear of the building near a new swimming pool, with the rear modeled on the 1940s–1960s era because “pools at hotels became popular in the 1940s to 1960s.”

Inside, the main lobby will house the Vinton County Visitor Center with a gift shop, while space immediately past the lobby is planned for a bar and restaurant to be leased to a local operator. A large room called Buzzard’s Knest will become an open dining area with a small event stage; the right side of the lobby is slated for public restrooms and two office suites; and the basement will be finished for staff offices and storage. Guest rooms will be themed and named for local historic sites and persons, and VCCVB intends to market paranormal connections to regional sites such as Hope Furnace and Moonville Tunnel. Accessibility upgrades will include full bathrooms in rooms, a wheelchair ramp, and an elevator.

Funding status remains distinct in the public record. The VCCVB’s internal renovation estimate is $2.5 million, while the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Mineral Resources Management has notified VCCVB that its $2.825-million AMLER grant application for the “Vinton County Tourism Enhancement Project” has been recommended for award. The AMLER package explicitly includes both the Hotel McArthur renovation and abandoned mine land remediation at the planned McArthur Brick Co. Historic Preserve. ODNR Director Mary Mertz said, “We are so excited to be able to help these communities prosper — both economically and recreationally. Thanks to these AMLER funds, designated areas will be transformed into beautiful spaces where people can walk, bike, and enjoy Ohio’s outdoors and history.”

Local reaction underscores preservation sentiment. The Vinton-Jackson Courier wrote, “Hotel McArthur is an iconic building, part of county’s history, and it’s in good shape for its age. I’ve heard suggestions that it should be torn down, and that would just be a terrifically sad waste of an irreplaceable historic asset.” RuralAction has framed the project as more than a landmark, calling it a potential tourism anchor at the SR 93 and US 50 crossroads.

Key questions remain: the final status and allocation of AMLER funds, a construction timetable, room counts and operating arrangements, and whether the AMLER recommendation will cover the VCCVB’s $2.5 million estimate or be split across the hotel and mine-land remediation. For local residents, the project could mean new visitor services on Main Street, a revived roadside stop for hunters and cyclists, and a modest infusion of tourism activity anchored by a preserved 1839 building. Next steps hinge on final grant awards, design and permitting, and the choice of local partners to operate the bar, restaurant, and hotel functions.