Cooperative Living January/February 2024 - 8

CO-OP PEOPLE
What's Old is New Again
by Laura Emery, Staff Writer
Revitalization of historic inn is an important
project for Virginia's smallest county
" I
t was the heartbeat of the community, " Betty Mitchell,
executive director of the Blue Grass Resource Center,
explains. " And we are excited to have it beating once again. "
She's referring to the once-bustling Highland Inn, located
in Monterey, the county seat of Highland County, Va.
Built in 1904 by Silas W. Crummett, a local businessman,
the inn was known as Hotel Monterey for its first 75 years.
The Queen Anne-style building features two levels of Eastlakestyle
porches with 18 guest rooms and suites. Henry Ford,
Harvey Firestone and John Philip Sousa, among other notable
historical figures, have visited the grand three-story structure
in the past.
The Highland Inn is a historical gem currently in the
process of being renovated and revitalized. It's the oldest,
largest and most historic lodging establishment in Highland
County. It's both listed on the National Register of Historic
Places and as a Virginia Historic Landmark.
The much-beloved inn closed its doors in 2019 when
frozen pipes led to water damage that was costly to repair.
That's when Blue Grass Resource Center purchased the
property. BGRC is a private nonprofit organization with a
mission to enhance the quality of life for Highland County
residents through historic preservation and educational
programs.
" It's been a pleasure working
with SVEC. They've been really
good community partners. "
- Betty Mitchell, executive director,
Blue Grass Resource Center
" The Highland Inn is such an iconic building in the county.
We thought we could step in, as a nonprofit, and purchase it,
renovate it, and then lease it to an operator that is experienced
in running a hospitality facility, " Mitchell, a Shenandoah
Valley Electric Cooperative member, explains.
Says BGRC Board Vice Chairman and former Cooperative
Living Editor Richard Johnstone, " This is truly an economic
development project in the very best sense, because the inn
serves as an economic engine for the entire county, which is
heavily reliant on tourism. "
Partial funding for the inn's renovation has been made
possible by grants from the Virginia Department of Housing
8 ● Cooperative Living ●
January-February 2024
and Community Development, Virginia Department of
Environmental Quality and Virginia Economic Development
Partnership as well as many generous private donors.
It will be renovated and open again as an 18-room inn with
two ADA-accessible rooms on the first floor. It will have a
dining room and a tavern, and much larger outdoor seating for
diners. Mitchell says that it will be like walking into a " new old
building, " steeped in history but with modern conveniences.
With the first phase of the renovation project completed
in 2021, Mitchell says the end is in sight. " We're waiting
for enough funding to complete phase two of the project, "
she explains. " We have a $5.2 million goal to finish the
revitalization project, with current commitments of $2
million. We also have two large grants pending for $2.5
million, plus $812,000 pending through a congressionally
directed spending bill. "
With just over 2,200 residents, Highland is Virginia's leastpopulous
county, and one of the few fully served by electric
cooperatives. About half the county is served by BARC
Electric Cooperative and half by Shenandoah Valley Electric
Cooperative. Mitchell says it's been a pleasure working with
SVEC, which provides electrical power to the Highland Inn.
" They've been really easy to work with. They had a lot of good
ideas on how to bring three-phase power to the facility.
They've been really good community partners. " 
For more information, including ways to help,
visit highlandinnrenovation.org.
co-opliving.com
PHOTO COURTESY SKY PICS
http://www.highlandinnrenovation.org http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living January/February 2024

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