A Century on the Mountain
High above the winding roads of Saluda, on a wooded ridge overlooking the Warrior and Blue Ridge Mountains, stands The Orchard Inn—a place shaped by railroads, retreat, and resilience. In 2026, the inn marks 100 years since its original construction, celebrating a century of mountain hospitality rooted deeply in Saluda’s history.
Built for the Railroad Era (circa 1926)
The Orchard Inn began its life in 1926 as the Railway Clerks’ Mountain Home, constructed by the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks of the Southern Railway System. At the height of Saluda’s prominence as a railroad town and mountain resort, the Brotherhood sought a summer retreat where clerks and their families could escape the heat and illnesses of the Lowcountry and Piedmont.
Designed as a guest lodge rather than a grand hotel, the two-story frame building featured wide porches, shared gathering spaces, and ten upstairs bedrooms—each meant to foster rest, community, and connection. Guests arrived by train using employee passes, staying for one- or two-week sessions during the summer season, which typically ran from June through October .
The Mountain Home was intentionally sited on high ground, approximately 2,500 feet above sea level, with sweeping views and its own spring-fed water system. Early brochures promoted it as a place where railroad families could enjoy what was described as a “millionaire vacation on a clerk’s income,” complete with three home-cooked meals a day, electricity, and expansive porches for leisure and socializing .
Three cottages—Paulownia, Boxwood, and Twin Poplar—were built at the same time as the main house and remain part of the property today. These cottages, named for trees found in the region, provided additional lodging and housed managers and staff over the years.
Architectural Character & Design
The Orchard Inn is a rare surviving example of Saluda’s early 20th-century mountain lodging architecture. Built around 1926, the main house reflects a blend of Colonial Revival form with Craftsman influences, a style commonly used for mountain guest lodges of the era. Its rectangular, two-story frame construction is defined by a broad, hip-roofed porch that once wrapped around much of the building—an essential feature for socializing, relaxation, and taking in the mountain air.
Inside, the original floor plan remains largely intact and reflects the inn’s original purpose as a communal retreat. A spacious central living room anchors the first floor, complete with hardwood floors and a large stone fireplace, while a wide upstairs hallway connects the guest rooms above. Throughout the building, original materials such as plaster walls, wood flooring, simple trim details, and Craftsman-style stair balustrades have been preserved, reinforcing the inn’s historic character.
The three original guest cottages—Paulownia, Boxwood, and Twin Poplar—were constructed at the same time as the main house and contribute to the property’s architectural integrity. Together, the buildings and their wooded setting make The Orchard Inn the only remaining intact example of the traditional boarding houses and guest lodges that once defined Saluda’s resort era, a distinction specifically noted in its National Register listing.
Surviving Change and Decline
By the mid-20th century, Saluda’s fortunes shifted. The rise of automobile travel, the Great Depression, and the eventual decline of passenger rail service dramatically reduced tourism. One by one, Saluda’s boarding houses and inns closed or disappeared.
Remarkably, the Railway Clerks’ Mountain Home endured. Though its use declined in the 1950s, it survived as the only remaining example of Saluda’s early 20th-century mountain boarding houses—a rare architectural and cultural holdover from the town’s resort era .
In 1962, the Brotherhood sold the property, and over the following years it operated under several names, including the Railroad House, the Wayside Inn, and the White Stag Inn.
Becoming The Orchard Inn
In 1981, Ken and Ann Hough of Charleston purchased the property and renamed it The Orchard Inn, a nod to the apple orchards that once covered the surrounding hillsides. That same year, they undertook a thoughtful renovation of the main building and original cottages, carefully transforming the former Railway Clerks’ Mountain Home into a welcoming bed-and-breakfast while preserving its historic layout and character. Under their stewardship, the inn was reestablished as a year-round destination, offering lodging, dining, and an experience rooted in both comfort and history.
Following the Houghs’ tenure, the inn continued to thrive under subsequent owners. In 1997, Bob and Kathy Thompson purchased the property and successfully operated the inn for more than a decade, further strengthening its reputation as one of Saluda’s most enduring mountain retreats.
Recognizing its architectural and historical importance, the property—listed under its historic name—was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, noted for its Craftsman-influenced architecture and its role in the recreational and social history of Polk County.
Today, The Orchard Inn is in the stewardship of Marc and Marianne Blazar. After searching for three years to find the right bed-and-breakfast, they knew the moment they stepped onto the front porch that they had found something special. Drawn to the inn’s history, setting, and sense of place, they continue its long tradition of hospitality while thoughtfully guiding the property into its next century.
A Living Piece of Saluda’s Story
Today, The Orchard Inn remains what it has always been: a place of retreat. Guests still gather on the porches, dine overlooking the mountains, and experience the quiet rhythm of a property shaped by nearly a century of change.
As The Orchard Inn celebrates 100 years, it stands not only as a destination, but as a living chapter of Saluda’s railroad legacy, mountain resort history, and enduring sense of place.
Here’s to a century on the mountain—and to the stories still waiting to be written. Celebrate 100 Years at The Orchard Inn & Spa, book you stay here!
Source National Register of Historic Places.