History
The Ragsdale Inn was built in 1905 by Col. Andrew Jackson Camp. Col. A.J. Camp was born in Randolph County, Alabama, on July 3, 1855. He grew up in Alabama and Heard County, Georgia, but by 1880 had moved to Carroll County where he was teaching school. In 1897, he married Mary Elizabeth Hamrick. He practiced law in Carroll County and later served as Mayor of Villa Rica from 1886-87.
Col. Camp was elected Mayor of Dallas from 1894-95, he also served as City Clerk in Dallas from 1898-99. Residing on Hardee Street Camp purchased 25 acres from Roland Russom for $1000. Construction started on the Camp-Ragsdale House on January 19, completed on April 13, 1905.
On December 18, 1918 the Camps sold their house to Sanders Walker Ragsdale. Col. S. W. Ragsdale was a lawyer and served as Paulding County's representative in the Georgia General Assembly from 1911-12.
After Col. Ragsdale's tragic death in 1939 the house was sold to his eldest son, Howell Ragsdale. Howell Ragsdale was married to Ola Hitchcock, a local school teacher, who resided in the house until 1999, it was sold to the present owners in 2001.
The Ragsdale Inn underwent full restoration in 2001 by the present owners Joe & Fay Stacknik and Jackie Crum Slay. The house was named in honor of the Ragsdale's who resided here for nearly 100 years. The Inn opened it's doors for business in 2002 becoming the City of Dallas' first Bed & Breakfast.
History and photos courtesy of
Jason Lee Edwards, local historian.
