DALTON, Georgia — The Western & Atlantic Railroad had a significant impact on Dalton and helped spur several hotels in the city across the years.
A hotel in the heart of Dalton, Georgia, dates to at least the 1850s. Years later, in October 1891, the Hotel Dalton at the corner of Crawford and Hamilton streets in the heart of Dalton opened.
On April 8, 1911, a fire broke out in the kitchen of the Hotel Dalton and caused significant damage throughout Dalton. It destroyed the hotel, and the blaze also claimed the Opera House and other businesses in town.
According to estimates, the blaze caused more than a quarter-million dollars in damage, including $85,000 for the hotel alone. A special Western & Atlantic train brought firefighters from Chattanooga to help fight the blaze.
The site sat vacant for a few years until a new Hotel Dalton, the current structure, opened in 1923.
Today, the building is named The Landmark Building. Instead of hotel rooms, the office serves businesses.