Bright, airy, well-appointed guest rooms and modern bathrooms greeted the many people who attended two open houses this past weekend at the newly-established Callis House Inn on Main Street in Mathews.

The event would never have been held, save for an outpouring of community support that had saved the historic structure from demolition two years before. A new group, Preservation Mathews, formed around the idea of preserving the more-than-century-old home, moving it from behind the Bay School to its current location, where the building’s new owners, Ian and Lisa Morse, set about the task of converting it to a bed and breakfast.

Visitors were able to tour the building which was updated to make it a comfortable place for guests to stay when visiting the county. The inn consists of five hotel-like rooms, each with a private bath, which will be available to guests beginning Friday, Aug. 31, said Nicole Hanson of Morse Enterprises, who organized the open houses.

A ribbon-cutting cer...