Location: The historic James County Courthouse, built in 1913 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The county, now extinct, was annexed into Hamilton County after it went bankrupt in 1919.
Owners: Sisters Karen Petty and Sharron McCarthy, who purchased the building in 2000 after it had been sitting empty for 30 years. The sisters had to gut and redo the inside to make it usable, said Sonya Guffey, who has worked with Petty and McCarthy for 15 years. “It was bad,” she says with a chuckle. “It was real bad.”
Tea room: The restaurant-style eatery offers traditional options like scones and 48 types of hot and cold teas, as well as more filling goodies, like soups, salads and sandwiches. “We do a lot of bridal teas, baby shower teas, luncheons, that kind of thing,” Guffey said. See the full menu at bit.ly/2h0TBoe.
Wedding venue: The courthouse’s upstairs chapel seats 150 people, but lovers of the outdoors can choose to marry in the property’s beautiful garden. The full-service wedding venue has a full staff available for catering and flower arrangement. Many are attracted to the venue because it feels small and intimate, Guffey said.
Affordability: Building rental starts at $1,750.
Built to last: The James County Courthouse was destroyed by fires in 1890 and 1913. The third and final courthouse was built completely of concrete, brick and steel. “It is solid,” Guffey said. “It is not going anywhere.”
Hours: The tea room is open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Address: 1908 Church St. in Ooltewah.
Contact: To make a reservation, call 238-9333. To learn more, visit its Facebook page.