Mentone Springs Hotel in 1982
photo by Wes Schultz
Another view of the old hotel
photo by Wes Schultz
The White Elephant was earlier known as the Sunset Hotel
photo by Wes Schultz
The Mentone Springs Hotel and the adjacent White Elephant were destroyed by fire on Saturday night.
There photos were taken in 1982 at a time that Ray Padgett, Coca-Cola executive from Atlanta, was renovating the hotel. The hotel was 102 years old at the time.
Mr. Padgett, who retired to Mentone and operates another business down the street, after the tragic blaze had a sign that said, "In Mourning."