A History of the Hotel Halbrook

The history of the Hotel Halbrook and that of the railroad are forever linked. It was the advent of railway service that originally created the need for hotel accommodations in towns along the railroad lines.

The growth of the railroad ultimately shaped the character of Dickson, when a large rail yard, established in the late 1800s, caused a building boom.

The Hotel Halbrook sits on the site of four previously managed railroad hotels. In 1912-13, J. T. Halbrook, a successful Dickson businessman, purchased the site and had a two-storey brick hotel constructed. It was a welcome stopping place for weary rail passengers as well as the growing ranks of travelling salesmen known as "drummers".

In 1917 the Hotel Halbrook was managed by Belle Goad and her daughter, Maybelle. During their management, the hotel was known for good food, excellent service and hospitality, and clean rooms. While helping manage the hotel, Maybelle met and married Robert Clement in 1919. Their firstborn, Frank, was born in Room #5 in June 1920.

After many years of planning, the newly renovated Hotel Halbrook opened in June 2009 as the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum.

The Museum sits just 65 feet from the railroad tracks. From the Museum's front porch, visitors see, hear, and feel the rumbling excitement as the trains go by.

The Hotel Halbrook is a Tennessee state-owned historic site and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

For more information, contact the Museum at 615-446-0500 or by email at ClementINFO@clementrailroadmuseum.org.