Hotels in Meridian, Mississippi
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UnclaimedA historical and commercial overview of the hotel industry in Meridian, Mississippi, from 19th-century railroad inns to modern suburban lodging.
Last updated September 27, 2026
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Overview
The hotels of Meridian, Mississippi, represent a commercial ecosystem shaped by the city's rise as a railroad hub in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Before Meridian was officially established in 1860, hotels were already being built in anticipation of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad and the Vicksburg and Montgomery Railroad. After Sherman's raid in 1864, only four buildings remained standing, one of which was the Jones House hotel. The post-war Ragsdale House (1865) offered a wooden-covered walkway directly to the train station. During Meridian's "Golden Age" (1890–1930), major hotels such as the Phoenix, St. Charles, St. Bernard, International, Grand Avenue, and Great Southern were constructed. The Great Southern Hotel, a five-story, 150-room property costing $175,000, was described by local historian Jack Shank as "the hotel." The construction of Union Station in 1906 further stimulated hotel development, leading to the Elmira Hotel (1905), Terminal Hotel (1910), Hotel Meridian (1907), and Union Hotel (1908). Two historic hotels—the Union Hotel (1910) and the Lamar Hotel (1927)—are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Others, including the E.F. Young Hotel, owned by an African-American entrepreneur, are contributing properties to the Meridian Downtown Historic District. Today, most hotels are located in post-World War II suburban developments, while urban activists work to establish a downtown hotel to aid revitalization. The Threefoot Building, a former office building, has been considered for conversion into a hotel.
History
The history of hotels in Meridian, Mississippi, is closely tied to the city's development as a railroad center. Even before Meridian was officially established in 1860, hotels had been built on the strength of the proposed linking of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad and the Vicksburg and Montgomery Railroad. After Sherman's raid of the city in 1864 during the American Civil War, only four buildings remained standing. One of those was the Jones House, used as a hotel, at the corner of present-day 25th Avenue and 5th Street. Another hotel, the Ragsdale House, was built just after the war in 1865 near the train station. This three-story building provided a wooden-covered walkway for its customers leading directly over the dirt road to the train station, a luxury that other hotels did not have. Other major hotels built before Meridian's "Golden Age" (1890–1930) include the Phoenix Hotel at 26th Avenue and 7th Street, built in the early 1870s and destroyed by fire in 1876; the St. Charles Hotel and St. Bernard Hotel, both built in 1881; and the International Hotel, built in 1884. The owner of the International Hotel was Felix Weidmann, who had founded Weidmann's Restaurant in 1870. In the early 21st century, Weidmann's is the oldest operating restaurant in the state of Mississippi. Two more hotels were built in 1890: the Grand Avenue Hotel and the Great Southern Hotel. The Grand Avenue Hotel was located a block away from the train station and appealed to families accompanying students traveling to and from the Meridian Male College. The Grand Avenue was damaged, along with a large portion of downtown, by a tornado on March 2, 1906. Several photographs of the damage in the city were taken from the hotel's second-floor balcony. The building was rebuilt, however, and survived into the late 20th century. It was listed as a contributing property to the Meridian Urban Center Historic District in 1979. The Great Southern Hotel—described by Jack Shank, a local historian, as "the hotel"—was five stories tall and contained 150 rooms. Costing $175,000 (today $6,271,000) and taking up half a city block at 6th Street and 23rd Avenue, the building was the largest and most expensive in the city. A restaurant was located on the roof, and a number of social events were held in second-floor parlors. Luxuries standard in the hotel included ceiling fans and reading lamps in every room, ornate oak woodwork throughout the building, and a public stenographer to assist patrons. With the construction of Union Station in 1906, hotel development was stimulated. The Elmira Hotel, now located at 1804 Front Street, was built in 1905 just before Union Station was completed. In 1910 the Terminal Hotel was constructed across the street at 1902 Front Street. Both hotels provided rooms for travelers passing through Union Station. In 1997 Union Station was expanded and restored. Since then these two hotels have been rehabilitated, along with many other downtown buildings in the following years as development has been stimulated. Also seeking to profit from the construction of Union Station and expectation of increased passenger traffic, local businessman Louis H. Arky opened the five-story Hotel Meridian two blocks from the station in August 1907. The hotel attracted business from railroad workers and passengers, and it was home to a fine dining restaurant. The hotel operated until at least the 1930s, and later was converted into permanent residences. Hotel Meridian was listed as a contributing property to the Meridian Urban Center Historic District in 1979 and as a contributing property to the Meridian Downtown Historic District in 2007. The building sat vacant for decades. When the board of the proposed Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center (MAEC) purchased the property next door to be used as a downtown museum, the owners donated this property for MAEC use. After the purchase, the MAEC released a statement that "due to the quality of the buildings and the function of them [...] we feel it's best to tear the buildings down." The building was demolished in late 2011. During the demolition, workers discovered several metal canisters full of crackers from the 1960s, evidence of a shelter dating from the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. The site was vacant for more than three years. MAEC announced in early 2015 that the organization had raised over $19 million in private donations toward the center, as well as $25 million in state government funding. Ground was broken for construction on October 3, 2015, and construction of the MAEC is scheduled to be completed in November 2017. The Union Hotel was built in 1908 to serve travelers to the city. The four-story building is located two blocks from Union Station and offered rooms to frequent rail travelers for only $2 per night, even as late as the 1960s. The original owner was P.C. Steele, but a group of bond holders took over control of the building in 1926. The hotel was leased for two… [text truncated]
- 2015
MAEC announces $19 million private and $25 million state funding; groundbreaking October 3.
- 2011
Hotel Meridian demolished; Cuban Missile Crisis-era shelter canisters found.
- 2007
Hotel Meridian listed as contributing property to Meridian Downtown Historic District.
- 1997
Union Station expanded and restored; Elmira and Terminal hotels rehabilitated.
- 1979
Grand Avenue Hotel and Hotel Meridian listed as contributing properties to Meridian Urban Center Historic District.
- 1927
Lamar Hotel built; later listed on National Register of Historic Places.
- 1926
Bond holders take over Union Hotel.
- 1910
Terminal Hotel constructed across from Union Station.
- 1908
Union Hotel built.
- 1907
Hotel Meridian opened by Louis H. Arky.
Products and positioning
Historic railroad-era lodging and modern suburban accommodations in Meridian, Mississippi.
Hotel lodging
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