Mobberly Hotel

Mobberly Hotel

Sidewalk and Foundation Remains of the Mobberly Hotel
Location in Texas
Location in Texas
General information
Status Destroyed by Fire
Type Hotel
Location 100 S. Mobberly Ave
Longview, Texas
United States
Coordinates 32°29′36″N 94°43′45″W / 32.493438°N 94.729146°W / 32.493438; -94.729146
Construction started 1883
Completed 1884
Demolished June, 1965
Technical details
Floor count 3
Lifts/elevators None
Design and construction
Architect Unknown
Other information
Number of rooms 80

The Mobberly Hotel was located on the corner of Mobberly Ave. and Pacific Street, at the Junction in Longview, Texas. It opened for business in 1884 and was owned by James M. "Jim" & Samuel "Sam" Haynes Mobberly, Sr. The hotel was the center of social gatherings for the entire area and was known as the best hotel between New Orleans and El Paso. Furnishings for all the rooms were expensive and elaborate, and crystal chandeliers were used throughout the rooms and every room had a fireplace. The Lacey Telephone Company serviced the Mobberly from 1897-1910. The Mobberly Hotel remained in the Mobberly family until the 1940s when it was sold to a businessman from Shreveport, Louisiana.

During the early 1960s, the Mobberly Hotel was being renovated by Patrick Ferchill, who collected old cars and had plans to showcase a car in the hotel lobby once the restoration was complete. Due to collapsing exterior walls, vandals were entering the hotel and in the early hours of June 13, 1965, the Mobberly Hotel burned with most of the windows shooting flames. All that remained was the exterior walls.

James M. Mobberly 1841-1917

James "Jim" H. Mobberly was born in 1841 in Kentucky. At the beginning of the Civil War, Jim joined a Confederate cavalry unit. During war, the future hotel operator was arrested and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Rock Island, Illinois. After escaping to Canada, Jim and other family members moved to Texas in 1868. He constructed a lumber company on the Sabine River four miles east of the City of Longview. In 1874 Jim married Mary Noel and entered the real estate and construction business. He also became active in Longview as a civic leader. He served on the City Council, Longview School Board and was a three-term Gregg County Commissioner. In 1883, Jim along with his brother Samuel, constructed the Mobberly Hotel. He was active in the hotel business until 1893.

Samuel Haynes Mobberly 1842-1910

Sam H. Mobberly was born on September 10, 1842 in Daviess County, Kentucky and came from an old and honored Kentucky family. He was a member of the Baptist Faith and a Mason.

He was a class of ready to die, never turning his back to the foe. At the first news of the strife between the State, he hurried to the nearest recruiting station and enlisted at Russellville in the 1st Kentucky Infantry under Col. Ben Harden Helms. Sam Mobberly was a genuine Southern and was more faithful to his heritage than any other man.

Five years after the end of the Civil War, Mobberly married Miss Laura Rose Bennett, of Madison Station, Mississippi. They were married for 40 years. Comrade Mobberly was never ill until his last sickness which took his life. When the end came, he said: "I am ready." Samuel H. Mobberly died December 15, 1910 in the hotel which he constructed. He was survived by his wife and their four children. The last sad rites were performed by his brother Masons.

The ownership of the Mobberly Hotel changed hands and his nephew, Samuel E. Mobberly became the Prorietor.

Mobberly Hotel building & property owners

Post-Mobberly Hotel

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