One Woman’s Remarkable Restoration of The Tanglewood Hotel

From Vacant Landmark to Vibrant Gathering Place: A New Chapter for Historic Downtown Versailles

(Versailles, Ind.) - For generations, the stately brick building overlooking the courthouse square in Versailles had welcomed Masons, entertained moviegoers, housed businesses, and adapted to changing times. But after years of vacancy, many wondered what its next chapter would be—or if there would even be one.

Today, new life fills the historic building that has stood on the town square for more than a century and a half.

Guests check into boutique hotel rooms, wedding parties gather beneath a restored tin ceiling, families celebrate birthdays and reunions, and entrepreneurs prepare food in a commercial kitchen. What was once an empty historic building has become one of Versailles' newest gathering places, thanks to the vision and determination of Holly Wehr.

Her project, now known as The Tanglewood, is more than a renovation. It's the story of preserving history, honoring family roots, and investing in the future of a hometown. The Tanglewood has become another reason for visitors to stop, shop and explore downtown Versailles, helping strengthen the local economy while preserving one of its most recognizable historic buildings.

The building's story began in 1870 when its front section was constructed as a Masonic Lodge. Four decades later, in 1910, an addition was built behind it as a buggy shop. Through the years, it served many purposes—a movie theater, office space, and a print shop among them.

When the property came up for auction in 2019, Wehr envisioned a destination that would bring more people to the town square while saving one of Versailles' most recognizable historic buildings.

Historic preservation wasn't entirely new to her. While attending college, Wehr volunteered during the restoration of the historic Artcraft Theatre in Franklin, an experience that gave her an appreciation for breathing new life into aging landmarks.

That appreciation would soon be tested.

Only months after purchasing the building, architectural drawings arrived in March 2020. Then COVID-19 brought everything to a halt.

Like countless projects across the country, plans were put on hold. Construction wouldn't resume until February 2021. Progress slowly returned throughout 2022, and by December, the project received a significant boost when it was awarded an Indiana Historic Renovation Grant. The matching grant program helped restore the building's exterior while preserving its historic character.

The restoration itself became an exercise in patience.

One challenge involved decades-old tar staining along the roofline. Instead of accepting the dark streaks, workers painstakingly removed individual bricks, turned each one around, and reset them so the clean side faced outward. It was slow work—but exactly the kind of craftsmanship the building deserved.

There were surprises waiting inside as well.

Some were welcome.

Hidden above later renovations was the building's original decorative tin ceiling, a remarkable piece of craftsmanship from another era. The centerpiece of the ceiling was carefully returned to its original location beneath a chandelier, recreating the elegant look seen generations ago.

Wehr found creative ways to preserve more of the building's past by using other tin panels as distinctive hotel headboards and room number signs. Lumber from old floor joists was transformed into shelving and other features throughout the property.

Other discoveries proved far less pleasant.

Construction crews uncovered a 13-foot-wide cistern hidden beneath the floor and the roof required far more extensive repairs before it could be made safe. Even those unexpected setbacks couldn't stop the project.

Throughout 2023, the transformation accelerated. Exterior restoration returned the storefront to its 1870s appearance, complete with a newly installed front door, restored masonry, and historically appropriate details.

History continued finding its way into the building. The name itself carries a story every bit as meaningful as the building.

Wehr grew up in the rural Tanglewood community outside Versailles, where her family's farm has carried the name for generations. The name honors her ancestor, Samuel Jackson, who settled in the area around 1830 after stopping near a ravine surrounded by tangled woods. Over time, the settlement became known as Tanglewood, complete with a church, schoolhouse, stores, and farming community.

Today, only the church and cemetery remain, where six generations of Wehr's family are buried. For her, Tanglewood has always meant home.

Only after officially registering the hotel's name did Wehr discovered that the bricks used to build the historic structure had originally been fired at a kiln located on Tanglewood Road. The connection between family history and the building's own history had existed all along.

As construction neared completion, reservations opened for future weddings, reunions and gatherings. The restored event venue showcases exposed brick walls dating to the 1870s, original hardwood floors, post-and-beam construction, and space for up to 180 guests indoors, plus additional courtyard seating.

A commercial kitchen has also become an unexpected community asset, giving aspiring bakers and cooks an affordable place to launch their own food businesses before investing in permanent locations.

Initially, Wehr's focus centered on opening the boutique hotel. The first room welcomed guests in May 2025, followed by an official ribbon cutting on July 19.

But as the months passed, something unexpected happened.

Watching weddings unfold beneath the restored ceiling, seeing families reunite after years apart, celebrating milestone birthdays, baby showers, graduation parties, and weddings gave the project an even deeper meaning. The building wasn't simply providing overnight accommodations. It was creating memories.

Today, six hotel rooms have welcomed guests throughout their first year, while work continues on five additional rooms to expand the boutique hotel. It has become a destination that honors Versailles' past while contributing to its future.

By blending her family's story with the story of one of Versailles' oldest buildings, she has created a place where residents and visitors can celebrate milestones, build traditions, and make memories of their own.