Gateway Children’s Services History and Mission
In 1974 the Federal Government mandated that children charged as “Status Offenders” (runaway, truancy, beyond control) could no longer be held in jail.
Since 1981 Gateway Children’s Services has provided an answer to this unfunded mandate by providing 24 hours a day emergency shelter to this at-risk and largely neglected population of Kentucky’s children. Gateway began a national model project by initially serving a seven-county area. Today, GCS serves the entire state of Kentucky. Many of our at-risk children in our care have attempted suicide and about one third of our residents have been the victims of physical or sexual abuse.
- In 2005, with no additional funding we began our treatment program.
- In 2007, Gateway received accreditation status from the Council on Accreditation. This national award certifies that GCS meets the highest national standards and provides top quality services to the communities it serves.
- In 2008, Gateway Children’s Services introduced our new cutting edge treatment program.
- In 2013, Therapeutic Foster Care and Adoption Services were added.
- In 2015, Outpatient Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Services were added.
- In 2022, Gateway Children's Services launched our Community Response program providing services to children and families in Clark and Montgomery Counties.
The National Hotel
The National Hotel has been a landmark in Mount Sterling, Kentucky for almost two centuries. In fact, there are some portions of the original building still in use today. We know this because there is a brick in the northeast portion with the date “1813” inscribed in it. The first known hotel at this address can be dated to 1849. At the time, the hotel was called the Union House. The name of the hotel changed several times over the next few decades. After the Union, it became the Sterling House, the Roberts’ House and finally the Coleman House.
No one knows for sure when the Coleman House became the National Hotel. However, we do know that the building’s prominence came into existence when two men from Flemingsburg named M.A. Weedon and Will Botts purchased the hotel.
At one time the south side of the building had wooden stairwells and porches. When Weedon and Botts took ownership, they began an extensive renovation. The stairwells and porches were removed to make way for brick and stone additions.
Eventually, the present façade was added to the building. It is believed that the building came to be known as the “National Hotel” around 1887 when the building renovations were complete. The hotel had also changed ownership again as Frank Hudson had purchased the building.
Around 1890 the hotel had grown so large that an annex had to be added. The building next door, now known as the “Redmond Building”, was originally the National Hotel’s annex. The National Hotel was now the grandest, most luxurious hotel in Mt. Sterling.
It was the place to see and be seen. The first floor contained the lobby, the front desk, a tavern and a large dining room. In fact, the National Hotel hosted many lavish banquets in its beautiful dining room. The dining room patrons could enjoy regional favorites like roast turkey or old Kentucky ham. However, the hotel also served delicacies like fresh oysters which arrived daily by train from Baltimore. As always, times change and the fantastic structures of yesterday lose their place of prestige in a community.
Today, the beauty and prominence of this historic building have been restored. Daren Turner of Lexington purchased this landmark and set about the yeoman’s task of restoring the structure to its past glory. Many original attributes can still be seen today like the original wooden floors, the embossed tin ceilings and the beautiful original leaded glass which is located on the outside of the building.
In 2008, the building was renamed the “Adrian Arnold Building” in honor of retired state legislator Adrian Arnold. Gateway Children’s Services, an organization that has been helping Kentucky’s abused, battered and neglected children occupies the first and second floors of the building. The third and fourth floors may house professional office space and maybe a few luxury apartments.
Special thanks to Judge Caswell Lane for the information contained herein.
