Hotel Lincoln
Also known as: VDHR File No. 119-10; General Francis Marion Hotel; Lincoln I
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Why it's listed
Built in 1926-1927 by businessmen Charles Clark Lincoln Sr. and Dr. William M. Sclater, this five-story hotel on East Main Street in downtown Marion was designed and built by Eubank & Caldwell of Roanoke. It is made of reinforced concrete with Kingsport velveteen brick on the upper floors, and details include stone quoins, a black copper cornice, a second-floor balcony, and a lobby on three levels linked by a French-style stone staircase. A walnut-paneled ballroom, coffee shop, drugstore, barber shop and sample rooms for traveling salesmen once served guests and townspeople. Originally named the General Francis Marion Hotel, it was Smyth County's first modern hotel and hosted civic clubs, banquets and dances into the 1960s. It is one of the last early-twentieth-century downtown hotels in Southwest Virginia, and it has operated continuously, now as Lincoln Inn, with its original character largely intact after a 1993 renovation.
Significance in brief: The hotel was Smyth County's first modern hotel, and its 1927 opening marked a milestone of commercial growth for Marion and Southwest Virginia. It is also one of the last surviving downtown commercial hotel buildings in the region, with its Colonial Revival character well preserved. For decades it was the town's main venue for social and political gatherings.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 95000897, listed July 21, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 107 E. Main St., Marion |
|---|---|
| County | Smyth County |
| Listed | July 21, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000897 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1926-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Eubank & Caldwell |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operating continuously since 1927 and now called Lincoln Inn; partly renovated in 1993, with the fifth floor unused and awaiting repairs. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Marion Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.83330, -81.51928 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 95000897.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15225840
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.