Warm Springs’ landmark restaurant destroyed by fire

Bulloch House was traditional dining spot for tourists.

WARM SPRINGS — An iconic restaurant that was a part of this Meriwether County town’s large tourist draw was destroyed by fire last week.

The Bulloch House, known for its traditional Southern cooking and fried chicken served buffet style, went up in flames shortly after midnight Wednesday. Located in a historic old home, the restaurant was a total loss, said Warm Springs Fire Chief Alfons Pynenburg.

“We have a lot of attractions in Warm Springs, but this was one of our claims to fame,” Pynenburg said at the scene.

The fire also left a hole in the economy of Warm Springs, a town of less than 500, said Mayor Robert Prater. “It was the only restaurant in town that could accommodate bus traffic,” Prater said.

The primary tourist attractions in Warm Springs are President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Little White House and the FDR State Park.

“You would have church and school groups book a tour of the Little White House, then they would book lunch at the Bulloch House,” Prater said.

The restaurant employs more than 15 people.

“It is not just the jobs at the restaurant that will be impacted,” Prater said. “It is also the jobs in the shops downtown.”

The Bulloch House was a part of the town’s rich history. The house was built in 1893 by Benjamin F. Bulloch, cofounder of Bullochville, which is now Warm Springs. He, his brother and a cousin owned and operated Bulloch, Bussey and Co., playing a prominent role in the history and development of the town.

The home was purchased in 1990 by Judy Foster and Charles and Sylvia Garrett, at which time it was renovated into the restaurant, according to the website. The restaurant is now owned by Peter and Sandy Lampert, who purchased the property in March 2011.

People were surveying the remains much of Wednesday. One of those was Rob Johnson, 46, a lifelong Warm Springs resident whose family operated Hosey’s Barbecue.

“This was a tourist destination,” Johnson said. “People would come here by the busloads to visit the Little White House, and they would come to the Bulloch House.”

Johnson pointed out that those people shopped in the nearby stores and contributed to the Warm Springs economy.

“You would drive by and the parking lot would be full,” he said. “But we are resilient.”

The mayor said the impact of losing the restaurant won’t just impact the tourists and jobs. “We have a few restaurants, but it was the only one open on Friday and Saturday nights and on Sunday after church,” Prater said.