Ribbon Cutting at the Bishop House

Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.

On Thursday, March 2, friends, family and members of the community gathered with Erik and Amy Paul at noon to celebrate the official opening of the Bishop House. Renovations have been underway in the historical building for the past year, and all that hard work has finally paid off for the Paul family. The ribbon cutting ceremony marked the end of renovations and the beginning of a brand new era for the Bishop House, which will now serve as a Bed and Breakfast style rental.
Amid the stunning halls and 12-foot ceilings that make up the Bishop House rests an array of beautiful antique furniture, intricately patterned rugs and elegant paintings housed in ornate frames, all hand selected and tastefully arranged to convey a sense of simplistic luxury. No one would guess that over the course of the last year, the building had spent much of its time in a state of disrepair as the Pauls worked diligently to restore the 1909 home.
No longer bearing signs of wood-boring insects, wood rot or damage from neglect, the Bishop House stands proudly at 310 N. Jefferson St., a historical symbol with a touch of modern comfort. Hors d'oeuvres and refreshments were offered as guests were encouraged to browse the hallways and rooms, enjoying a nice spring breeze from the many open windows that overlooked the wrap-around porch.
At 12 noon, Roger Champion, President of the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, addressed the crowd and delivered the traditional proclamation in welcome of the Pauls and their new business. Additionally, they were presented with a traditional framed dollar, courtesy of the Chamber, followed by applause from guests. Amy and Erik were welcomed to say a few words to the crowd before taking the ceremonial scissors and snipping the infamous red ribbon.
Erik began with extending a heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out to show their support, and expressed gratitude on behalf of the Paul family towards everyone who helped contribute to the project of the Bishop House restoration.
“These old houses are certainly a labor of love,” says Erik. “We went through every single inch of this thing – a lot of splinters, a lot of nails, and a lot of contractors. But it's a great house, and we just hope that we helped create something that folks in Monticello can enjoy.”
Amy continued after her husband, saying, “We thank you all so much for coming. I look around and I see all these faces of people I truly love. We've been here about six years now, and y'all have become like family to me.”
Blinking away sentimental tears, she continued on a playful note, thanking the owners of CowHaus who attended the ceremony, for supporting her daily coffee habit, and also thanking Susan Smith, who helped them decorate the Bishop House in time for the ribbon cutting. She also thanked a family friend, sBobby, for his excavation work, and Kat, their realtor.
“We are so grateful to everyone who has come in and helped,” she said in closing, adding that anyone who wishes to book the Bishop House can do so on Airbnb or Vrbo, with special rates for locals. She spoke about the necessity of restoration to such an old home that has been a part of Monticello history, as well as a new opportunity to show off the Monticello merchants that are just a quick stroll away, stating that she and her family are happy to be a part of the ever-growing community.