Rising Fawn’s General Woods Inn Reopens After 2017 Fire
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
Photo by Lydia Berglar – The Alliance for Dade, school board members, government officials, and other friends gathered last week to celebrate the reopening of General Woods Inn with owners Bob and Nadine Wood.
Bob and Nadine Woods celebrated the reopening of their bed and breakfast and wedding venue, the General Woods Inn, on Tuesday,
Nov. 1. The Alliance for Dade hosted a ribbon cutting, and the couple invited the community to view the newly rebuilt home.
For the general and his wife, this beautiful spot in Rising Fawn is not only their business, but it’s also their home. They bought the house and eventually opened it as a bed and breakfast so guests could also enjoy the antebellum-style architecture and scenic views. One of their guests asked if they rented the venue for weddings, and that led to the first wedding at the General Woods Inn in 2007.
While the couple was out of town in 2017, their home caught fire in the middle of the night. General Woods recalled, “I got a call from our niece at 3:30 a.m. saying, ‘Your house is on fire!’ It was a major event in our lives.”
After working through the insurance process, making plans, and rebuilding, Bob and Nadine are delighted and thankful to reopen and return to business as usual. They hosted a wedding the week before the ribbon cutting.
Photo by Lydia Berglar – Nadine prepared food in her new kitchen for the reception following the ribbon cutting at the General Woods Inn.
Bob praised their builder, Aaron Caldwell, for his attention to detail and excellent craftsmanship. “We interviewed numerous builders and settled on Aaron Caldwell,” said Bob. “He deserves recognition.”
Rebuilding after the fire offered the opportunity to fully make the General Woods Inn their dream home. According to Nadine, “We moved 20-something times while in the military, and when we found this house, it had 80% of what we wanted.” While the exterior of the new house is nearly identical to the original, the Woods adjusted the interior to create more space and better suit their needs.
Bob mentioned the addition of the upstairs game room, decorated with University of Georgia gear.
Nadine’s favorite part of the new house is the kitchen, noting the size and unique light fixture. Food and hospitality is essential to the venue, and when rebuilding, Nadine knew she wanted good lighting in the kitchen.
For the Woods, Dade County will always be their home. “I love this view, and this is our town,” said the general. “I was standing outside our old home when it was burning, and I knew that no matter what, though I wasn’t sure what I’d be living in, I’d be living right here.”