The south end of Main Street in Mathews was packed with cars Saturday morning. Leaving their cars, a steady stream of interested people, natives and those who have moved to Mathews, made their way up the sidewalk and steps to inspect the all-new Callis House Inn.

This was more than your usual open house.

This was the occasion of a real triumph for those who love the old homes of Mathews County, many of which have surrendered to the ravages of time.

While the Callis House Inn is brand new, it sits in a turn-of-the-twentieth-century home that just 30 months ago was slated for destruction.

Local merchant L.M Callis built the beautiful home behind his Main Street store in 1908. He and his wife Montrue resided there for many years but eventually the Callis family moved on, the business changed hands, the home and its land changed hands, and the house itself fell into poor condition.

The present owner of the former L.M. Callis Store, the Bay School, announced early in 2016 that it would take down the old house to make way for a new facility. To the school’s credit, it had tried to find a way to save the classic structure but decided it needed too much repair and the space would not suit. And to the school’s continued credit, it welcomed ideas to save the building.

Enter two new players. Preservation Mathews was formed around the idea of saving the Callis House. Ian Morse, a contractor and owner of Morse Enterprises, owned a nearby vacant lot and expressed a willingness to restore it, if only it could be moved there feasibly.

The Bay School sold the structure to Morse for $1. He jacked it up and by the end of 2016 it had been moved, with tremendous financial assistance from Preservation Mathews, and was sitting on its new lot waiting for restoration.

A curious public passing by on Main Street for 18+ months has been able to watch the progress. On Saturday, that public had its curiosity satisfied and more so to see a beautiful house brought back to life, and a new business ready to open in the village.

All who mourn the disappearing old homes of our community have reason to be grateful for the forces that came together to rescue one of these beauties. We can hope for more success stories in the future.