In Western North Carolina, James and Amanda Keith usher the venerable NuWray Hotel into its next chapter
Holding sway over the grassy town square in Burnsville, North Carolina, as it has for close to 200 years, the NuWray Hotel reopened its doors at the end of May after an extensive renovation. What began in 1833 as an eight-room log structure that served as an inn, tavern, and trading post, is now poised to welcome twenty-first-century guests thanks to the hotel’s new owners, James and Amanda Keith.
The duo, who had restored a couple of historic houses—one as a B&B—when they lived in Greensboro, North Carolina, purchased the building in 2021 and spent three years and considerable sweat equity stripping the old dowager down to the studs and restoring the lodging to its early-twentieth-century glory. “When we got into the project, it was clear that the building should have been condemned,” says James, noting that the hotel was still operating when they purchased it.
They set about shoring up sagging joists, replacing obsolete knob-and-tube electrical wiring, and adding bathrooms to all 26 rooms. Outside, they restored the former smokehouse in the courtyard as Roland’s Bar (named for the hotel’s former chef, Will Roland, who once smoked hams there), and reimagined the property’s redbrick Carriage House as a cozy bar and casual cafe.
The hotel’s name traces its roots to Garret Ray, who purchased the property in 1867, naming it Ray’s Hotel and completing the first expansion. Garret’s daughter, Julia, and her husband, William Wray, inherited hotel in the early 1900s. They added another wing and installed running water and electricity, paving the way for the heyday of the rechristened NuWray Hotel.
It was important to the Keiths to retain the historical integrity of this landmark. Tackling the interior design herself, Amanda furnished the comfortable rooms and public spaces with lovely antiques and vintage pieces. During the construction process, the couple discovered 65 different patterns of original wallpaper, many of which Amanda cleverly framed as artwork in the upstairs halls.
From Nuwray Hotel to Main Street
From the hotel, it’s a short stroll to charming shops and restaurants along Main Street. Yancey County claims the highest number of artists per capita in the US, and you can see some of their high-end wares at Toe River Arts. Stop for coffee at Appalachian Java before browsing the titles at Plott Hound Books, shopping for locally crafted gifts at Mountain Time on Main Street, and immersing yourself in the wonderland of toys at Monkey Business. For lunch, head to Live Oak Gastropub for a Blue Ridge Trout BLT.
Come evening, book a table at the NuWray Restaurant. Divided among several intimate rooms in the house, the restaurant honors its past in dishes like chicken and dumplings and cornmeal flounder and collard greens—Southern classics from bygone menus prepared with a modern twist. After dinner, enjoy a nightcap in the hotel’s basement speakeasy, dubbed The Washroom for the original hand-cranked wooden laundry machine bolted to the floor behind the bar.
With its wide front porch beckoning with wooden rocking chairs, the NuWray has always been a place where folks naturally gathered. “My hope,” says Amanda, “is that visitors and locals will continue to gather and have conversations here. We are working hard to make that possible.”
102 Town Square, Burnsville, NC, nuwray.com
Hearth Glass
A bit farther down Main Street, Hearth Glass and Gallery is a must-see while you’re in Burnsville. The gallery is run by Keikichi Littleton and her brother, Tadayoshi, who are descended from an illustrious line of glass artists. Their great-grandfather Jesse T. Littleton worked at Corning’s research labs, where he invented Pyrex, while their grandfather Harvey Littleton is known as the father of the studio glass movement in America. Drop by to watch artists blowing glass at the working studio and peruse the adjoining showroom/gift shop for bespoke glassware, vases, jewelry, and glass sculptures.
410 W. Main St., hearthglassnc.com
