Reviewed by: Michael Seale
Hotel Monte Sano —famous people, healing waters + interesting history
Reading time: 3 minutes
If you’re savvy with Spanish or have lived in Huntsville long enough, you know that Monte Sano means “Mountain of Health.”
But did you know that once people traveled across the country to experience the mountain’s healing waters? Read on to learn the history of the bustling health resort—Hotel Monte Sano.
“Mountain of Health”
Many narratives surround how Monte Sano got its name and reputation as the “Mountain of Health,” but my favorite involves Dr. Fearn, a Huntsville physician (1789-1963).
As the story goes, Dr. Fearn was struggling to cure a young child of an aggressive disease and decided to take a more elevated approach. He built a cabin on Monte Sano and sent the child with a nurse to live there.
After just a few weeks, the child was healed, and in honor of his success, Dr. Fearn christened the mountain “Monte Sano.”
233 rooms + restorative waters
Because of Monte Sano’s healing reputation, it became the ideal spot to build a health resort and hotel. North Alabama Improvement Company along and the O’Shaugnessy brothers worked together to open the 233-room hotel in 1887.
The five-story hotel soon became one of the top spas in the nation. Surrounded by mineral waters and picturesque landscapes, the hotel became the perfect place for a quiet getaway.
But Hotel Monte Sano was not without its whims. Daytime activities included tennis, bowling, hiking and a dip in the natural springs; nightlife featured dancing, parties and games.
Housing America’s elite
Hotel Monte Sano attracted some of the wealthiest travelers in the nation to Huntsville. Check out a few of the notable figures who visited:
- Helen Keller
- Jay Gould
- The Vanderbilt family
- William Waldorf Astor
To get to Hotel Monte Sano, these guests would take the Tally-Ho—a carriage service designed to navigate the dirt roads of the 1800s.
The last remains today
Once an element of convenience, the Tally-Ho eventually led to the demise of Hotel Monte Sano. After the roads fell into severe disrepair, traveling up the mountain was more trouble than it was worth.
After it closed in 1900, several attempts were made on the property—to turn it into a summer home, open it back up as a country club and more. However, none of these efforts came to fruition and the property was eventually torn down in 1944. Now, all that remains is the brick chimney pictured above.
Next time you’re hiking at Monte Sano, take a drive down Old Chimney Road, stop in front the historic site and picture the extravagance, glamor and glory that was Huntsville’s finest hotel.
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