The Transformation of the Doe Mountain Inn into Freedom Mountain Ministries
If these walls could talk, they would have quite the tale to tell.
In the mid-80s, the Bailey family built what was then known as the Doe Mountain Inn. It quickly became a popular drinking spot—so popular, in fact, that it gained a reputation for the late-night brawls and troubles that often followed. The pressures of running such a place eventually took their toll on the Bailey marriage, and in the early 90s, the property passed into the hands of Gerry and Teresa Calhoun.
The Calhoun’s gave it new life as a cozy bed-and-breakfast, hosting many beloved Christmas parties that locals still remember fondly.
By the late 90s, the Blackwell family had taken over, rebranding it as Blackwell’s Farmhouse at Doe Mountain Inn and launching a high-end steakhouse. But the small mountain community couldn’t sustain such a venture, and by 2005, the doors were closed once again.
Then, in 2012, John and Karen Arnold stepped in. They poured their hearts into restoring the property, working tirelessly to make it a beautiful mountain destination. Sadly, John’s health began to fail, and in August of 2022, he passed away. The work became too heavy for Karen to carry alone.
Almost exactly one year later, we stepped onto the scene.
💭 People often ask us, “How did a couple of New Yorkers end up in Tennessee?”
The truth is, we had always dreamed of finding a place in the South—not Florida, but the Carolinas or Tennessee. In Western New York, we run a faith-based residential addictions ministry. Every year we set up a booth at Kingdom Bound, a Christian music festival near our campus, where we sell T-shirts printed by our participants as part of their vocational training.
One summer, a gentleman bought a shirt from us. My husband struck up a conversation and asked where he was from. His answer? Johnson County, Tennessee. And, as only a small-town mail carrier could, he knew of the perfect property—412 K & R Road in Butler.
By August 8, 2023, we were on our way to Tennessee to see it for ourselves.
I’ll be honest: at first, I didn’t want it. The smell of mold from years without ventilation, the damage left behind by a 2019 tornado, rotting decks, outdated siding, unfinished rooms, plumbing issues—the list went on and on. Everywhere I looked, I saw work.
But here’s the thing: the other property we toured cost more, also needed repairs, and when we prayed… God said yes to this one.
✨ And that’s how Freedom Mountain Ministries was born.
This inn has gone from bar fights to Bibles, from brokenness to restoration. And we believe its story isn’t finished yet—it’s only just beginning.