In a news release, the First Baptist Church of Thomaston announced last week it has purchased the Hotel Upson building from the Bay Lake Development Group. LLC. The church plans to demolish the historical structure and build a new sanctuary/worship center on the site.

"Several years ago," said Rev. Bill Barber, pastor of First Baptist, "our church adopted a master plan for the future development of our campus and facilities to accommodate our growth."

Barber added that the purchase of the Hotel Upson property was an integral part of the master plan if the property was ever sold.

The Georgian Revival-style Hotel Upson was built in 1928 for $150,000, according to plans heavily influenced by the Biltmore in Atlanta. When originally opened, it was said to be the only "thoroughly modern" hotel between Macon, Atlanta, Albany and Columbus. The four-story, red brick hotel was trimmed in limestone.

The hotel boasted every modern convenience as the "Roaring 20's" came to a close. The 54 rooms had hot and cold water, and 33 rooms had private baths. The hotel also had ice cold circulating water, telephones, ceiling fans, and full carpeting. The kitchen and dining room were said to be the most modern of their time.

Before I-75 was built in the 1960's, Route 3 - also called U. S. Highway 19/41 - was a main link to Florida and the hotel would fill to overflowing with members of the Georgia Peach Growers Exchange, who's come to town to buy, sell and ship fruit.

The hotel's guests have included former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, former Senator Richard Russell, former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd, and former Senator Herman Talmadge.

It was originally owned by R. E. Hightower, and purchased by John and Hilda Andrews in 1958. They ran it until 1988, when Rampart Realty purchased the property and made some renovations. It has been vacant since 1991. In 2002 it was sold to The Sack Company, and a year later was bought by Bickley's Lake Inc. In 2005 Bay Lake Development Group, LLC, purchased the property, with plans to convert it into offices and condominiums. But those plans never developed and the hotel has been up for sale.

The Board of Deacons, the Finance Committee, as well as a special Hotel Real Estate Committee appointed to study the viability of buying the hotel, unanimously agreed to recommend that the church membership vote to purchase the hotel land and building. The congregation supported the recommendation by voting on February 21 to purchase the property.

"Our church will remain located in the beautiful historic downtown of Thomaston and this decision was solidified with the recent construction of our Fellowship Hall on South Green Street," said Bob Cochran, Chairman of the special Hotel Real Estate Committee. "With that in mind, it became increasingly important to consider the possibility of purchasing the hotel if it became available, and we are glad it happened."

"We are committed to our church's mission statement of Developing Fully Devoted Followers of Christ and are excited to be able to expand our campus by purchasing this property," added Rev. Barber.

Ironically, the site the Hotel Upson sits on was originally owned by the church. Dr. Ed Cliburn, author of "In Unbroken Line," a history of First Baptist Church of Thomaston, records that the church once owned the Hotel Upson site, having purchased it in 1870. A church building was constructed on the site in 1873 and stood on the present location of the Hotel Upson until 1923. The church had constructed a new building in 1921 on the adjoining site and decided to sell the former site to R. E. Hightower.

No date has been set on when the Hotel Upson will be removed from the site.