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City of Clarksville restores Arlington monument stones

City of Clarksville - Clarksville, TNClarksville, TN – The City of Clarksville has completed restoration of the Arlington Hotel monument on Second Street, thanks to the Montgomery County Historical Society and an anonymous donor.

The stone monument commemorates the Arlington Hotel, a three-story brick building that stood on the site from 1887 until it was razed in 1973. The City’s Cumberland Place Parking Plaza garage was built on the site in 1992.

City of Clarksville, donor, Montgomery County Historical Society collaborate on project to restore Arlington monument stones.
City of Clarksville, donor, Montgomery County Historical Society collaborate on project to restore Arlington monument stones.

The Arlington, situated in the heart of downtown on a streetcar line, was a staple of commerce in its day, offering simple rooms to commercial travelers, steam heat, billiard rooms, an excellent dining room and an elegant bar.

It became the Montgomery Hotel in 1932.

Adding to its historical significance, from 1919 to 1926 the Arlington was the home of the Woman’s Bank of Tennessee, the first bank in the world staffed and managed entirely by women.

Arlington monument stones being restored.
Arlington monument stones being restored.

The simple concrete and stone monument displaying the word “Arlington” was placed in 1992 and includes a historical plaque about the Arlington and a dedication for the parking garage. The high block letters carved from Indiana Limestone came from the front of the hotel, and were saved during the hotel demolition by Eleanor Williams, author and longtime Montgomery County Historian.

Over time, the limestone letters cracked and deteriorated. The Historical Society, with Williams and Kurt Bryant leading the effort, advocated restoration of the stones. The Historical Society accepted an $8,000 anonymous gift for the project, and then donated those proceeds to the City of Clarksville, which managed the renovation project.

Nashville Concrete Artist was hired as the restoration contractor. The work included using salvaged stones, aggregate and epoxy to repair and rebuild the letters and then applying a penetrating sealant to prevent future decay.

The City of Clarksville and the County Historical Society will dedicate the restored monument during a brief ceremony at 10:00am Wednesday, July 26th, 2017 at the site on Second Street.

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