Greetings from the Black Lantern Inn!

We're Doug and Cindy, your innkeepers as of spring 2025. We've been staying in bed and breakfasts since we were first married - several decades ago - and have dreamed of owning and operating one for just as long. Native Midwesterners, we first visited the Roanoke area in summer 2014 to explore potentially moving here when Doug, a healthcare executive, received a job offer in the area. The Blue Ridge stole our hearts and move, we did, to Smith Mountain Lake, and in doing so expanded our hosting skills from weekend visits to welcoming whole families for weeks at a time, providing three meals a day and entertainment both on the lake and in Roanoke and the surrounding areas.

More than 10 years later, we're pinching ourselves over the opportunity to share our love for this area with you, our BLI guests. While Cindy is a former journalist and communications writer and Doug's in healthcare administration, our hearts are in enhancing our guests' travel experiences in our beloved Star City. When inn work is done, we're out hiking, running, exploring the cultural scene, dining out downtown or just simply walking our beloved Old Southwest neighborhood, soaking up its history and chatting with our neighbors.

We can't wait to meet you and offer you the chance to help us shape the future of the Black Lantern Inn. We're listening to you and your needs and hope to help your travel to the Roanoke area become everything you needed, imagined and more.

1526 Franklin Road was built around 1900 as a private home. At some point in its history it became a multi-family dwelling and subsequently fell into disrepair. Ronald Chuman purchased the property in 2005, and immediately surrounded the building with high safety fences, removed the tree off the roof and boarded up all windows and doors. After securing the building, work began inside of the home. The ceiling was taken down, and a lot of the wall finish and framing were removed, as well as any of the original trim that could be saved. The next project was the arduous task of stripping and sanding all of the trim along with the front porch columns, balusters and railings, as well as stripping the wallpaper and paint from the remaining plaster.

After the framing was complete, all new plumbing, electricity and HVAC was installed. The exterior of the house was painted, with installation of all new windows and doors complete. In 2007, the insulation and drywall was completed, and the priming of all walls, ceilings, woodwork, and tons of tile work were completed. From September 2007 to January 2008 the front porch was rebuilt; from the ground up, trimmed, and painted. From January until June, 2008 the electricity and plumbing were trimmed out, the two kitchens were installed and the rear porches were covered with roofs. The city awarded Ron with an Architectural award soon after this, and then some serious landscaping began. The landscaping required 12 truckloads of dirt to be removed to level the rear for a parking area, as well as 120 tons of stone hauled in for the drive. Lastly, the original rock wall was restored and additional rock walls were built with lights.

The actual date of incorporation of The Black Lantern Inn was June 12, 2008. The Black Lantern Inn was officially opened on Jan 1, 2009. Thank you for visiting our website and reading the history of the Inn. Safe travels - see you soon!

Cindy and Doug BeMent, Owners/Innkeepers