Martindale Hotel

Metamora, Franklin County, Indiana

Subject:                           Martindale Hotel (Federal c. 1838-1870)  

Erected by:                     Indiana Division of Tourism and the Metamora

                                      Shop Keepers, 1976

Located:                         South side of Main Street, east of Bridge Street,

                                       Metamora, Indiana (#86 on Metamora Map)

Text:                             

Built in 1838 by Ezekial Tyner to house his store room and counting room, where he acted as agent for canal trade, housing his family in the addition to the rear.  He then purchased the land from David Mount in 1841.  Thomas Tague acquired the property in 1858 and ran a tavern until 1870 when Amos Martindale extended the building to the west and operated the Martindale Hotel until 1895. Through many owners a public dining room was maintained in this building for guests of the hotel. Travelers by canal, stage or train.

The Martindale's lived upstairs and had 12 children. When sufficient guests arrived, it often was necessary to put the children up in the attic.  There is also a small room upstairs known as the “borning room” and was used by expecting mothers.  As Dr. Cupp’s office was just next door, a good number of local residents were born here rather than have the doctor risk coming out to their home in the back country on a bad winter night.