Historic Lodging - Intervale Pg 5
Hite o Land Camps - later
Castner's Camps
Castner's Hite O Land Cabins. These photos (above) from 1920 show the cabins and Route 16 looking East. Later the Restaurant building was added and the name simplified to Castner's Camps.
In those days this area was "The Charles Farm". In the 1940's the camps and restaurant burned, but were rebuilt. In the early 1950's the cabins were torn down or removed to other locations and the restaurant building remained in various uses until 2012. It was torn down and replaced with a ski shop in 2012 and a Dunkin Donuts now occupies the space just to the east of this photograph.
Castner's closed in the 1960's as the travelling public demanded more upscale accommodations. This trend continued in the 1970's, 80's, and by the 1990's these type of cabins were completely gone as a business model. Since Castner's Closed the site was home to Animal Forest Park, Don Galvin Shoes, The Magic Castle operated out of a tent on the site. Dick Plusch had his first antiques Store here in 1971 and more recently, Boarder Patrol Ski Shop.
As of 2013 there is now a Dunkin Donuts at the eastern end of this property. Most recently the main building was demolished and is now home to another ski shop.
Cedarcroft
Benjamin Pitman's residence
Benjamin Pitman's residence built 1800. Ben's son, John, inherited the house in 1848, never married and at his death left the house to a Mr. Howard, the handyman. In 1890 Mr. Howard sold to Uriah Ballard Russell and his wife Ann. By 1892 they were operating it as an Inn, and so it remained until 1953. The next owner was Uriah's son, Thomas C. Russell. The Russell's sold the property in 2014. Photo courtesy Tommy Russell
The Elmwood Inn and the Intervale Inn
Formerly the Solomon Pendexter House, The Elmwood Inn was managed by William and Elizabeth Wyman. They also operated a farm on the property. This postcard dates to about 1900. The Elmwood was (is) located just across the road from todays scenic vista and east of yesteryears Langdon Hotel. Elmwood was purchased by the Cannell family in 1938 and renamed The Intervale Inn. John Cannell was a youngster at that time and he and his dad would meet the ski trains in North Conway every Friday night to pick up guests. In 1948 most of the Inn was destroyed by fire, but what did not burn is still there today. I have been told if you go into the basement of this building the scars of the fire are still visible. John Cannell has been known to give public talks about his memories of old time lodging in Intervale.
To "get your bearings", if you drive west, out of North Conway, this building is across the street from the Scenic Vista just before the railroad crossing.
The Elmwood Becomes The Intervale Inn:
The Elmwood was purchased by the Cannell family in 1938 and renamed The Intervale Inn.
In 2014 Stephanie Cannell Mullins told this editor: "This is the Intervale Inn, which my grandparents, Ray and Lydia Cannell owned and operated. It burned to the ground on my father, John Cannell's 18th birthday on Feb. 2, 1948. The building next door is now JT Realty. My grandparents also owned this building. People from Boston would come up on the ski trains and stay there. I owned the building from 1978 until 1997. My ex-husband, Scott and I owned Vista Auto and ran it there until he relocated by Aubuchon's. I ran Vista Scoop at our store from 1994 until 2008. My grandparents, also owned the land across the street where the Vista is now. When their Inn burned, they relocated to the building there."
The Cannell's started their business life in Glen with an Inn, Cabins, Store and Gas station. Take a look Here.
The card above is titled "The New Intervale Inn", and below are Lydia and Ray Cannell in the late 1950's, pumping gas, at their store in Intervale opposite today's scenic vista. It shows their "New Intervale Inn" across the street. When it burned the Cannells donated the land to the State to create the scenic vista rest stop. One of the two boys at right is Ray Cannell.
