room motel , one or two beds each , remains a popular lodging spot for people coming to visit Burnside and Lake Cumberland in the summertime , doing good business during tourism season . The fountain isn ’ t there these days , but there is an outdoor pool , and a prime restaurant space that is currently unused and awaits the perfect tenant to lease it and call it home . In the early days of the 7 Gables , following its relocation with the rest of the town , the restaurant operated by Rufus Jones had a reputation as one of the best in the county .
Jackson said that the motel remains popular because of its convenience , within walking distance of both Burnside Marina and General Burnside Island State Park .
But for many people , there ’ s more to it than that . The 7 Gables Motel is an echo of the town ’ s bountiful history , stretching back to the 19th century — and a place where , in the second half of the 20th moving forward , many more memories have been made .
� The original Seven Gables Hotel in old Burnside . Photo courtesy Brandon Becker
� The rebuilt stone hotel following the devastating fire . Photo courtesy Brandon Becker
� The famous fountain outside the original Seven Gables Hotel .
Photo courtesy Brandon Becker
September 2022 SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky • 29