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Historic Lodging Intervale Area- Page 4
The material for this page was taken from "The Latchstring Was Always Out" by Aileen M. Carroll - Published by Peter E. Randall for The Bartlett Public Library 1994
BITS & PIECES
How did folks get around back then if not on horseback or a train? The Concord Coach of Course. The one pictured here was owned by the Pittman brothers of the East Branch House.
One of the most significant horse-drawn vehicles developed in America is the famous Concord coach, first built in the late 1820s in Concord, New Hampshire. The sturdy suspension system was well suited to travel on rugged terrain. Its strength, durability and comfort established the company's reputation and the vehicles were shipped to all parts of the U.S. and abroad with an average price of $1000.
The Henry Ford Museum has the Concord Coach that was ordered new from the Concord Coach Company here in New Hampshire in 1891 by the Pitman brothers who owned the East Branch House.
Also, check out the history of Concord Coach #80, which is on display at The Concord Group Insurance Agency at 4 Bouton St. in Concord.
Just over the bridge spanning the East Branch was the East Branch House. It was established about 1870 and was substantially larger than the other Intervale Hotels with a capacity of 125. Its rates were comparable to its rivals at $7. to $10.50 per week. Its guests could actually hear the sound of the stream from their bedroom windows.
Its owners were two brothers, William and Winthrop M. Pitman, great grandsons of Joseph and Alice (Pendexter) Pitman. Having grown-up in Intervale they were no strangers to the Hotel business as many of their ancestors and relatives were also Innkeepers in the Intervale area. The Pitman name was evident in Bartlett's history from the very beginning. The Hotel they built and operated was a great success with a loyal following.
In 1898 the hotel burned in what was described as an awesome spectacle to those viewing it.
There is more information on the Intervale Hotels and the various generations of Pitman's in the book cited at the top of this page, "The Latchstring Was Always Out".
READ ALL ABOUT THE PITMAN FAMILY AND THEIR RESORTS AT THIS LINK:
The Holiday Inn
Who owns the Holiday Inn Tradename? The Courts started getting involved in the 1950's and a decision was reached. Find out what happened HERE
2023 UPDATE: These Links Were Provided More Than 10 Years Ago.
This pdf booklet tells a remarkable history of the Holiday Inn from the very beginning in 1918 all the way to 2010 or there-abouts.
www.wxtoad.com/images/nh/Holiday_Inn_Booklet.pdf
Ted also offers us his story about "Growing-Up in a Country Inn"
2023 Update: This link seems to work and well worth a look !
https://wxtoad.com/index.php/our-travels/new-england/growing-up-in-a-country-inn
This building was first known as Carletons' Inn, The Forest. In 1918 it was purchased by John and Gertrude Fernald and became Fernald's Cottage. By 1930 it had new owners who renamed it Rest-a-Bit and, unusual for the time, operated the Inn year round. It had one more owner before 1946 when the Burgess's purchased the property and renamed it the Holiday Inn. By the 1960's the Houghtons' owned the property and there was a legal battle with the bigger chain brand name, Holiday Inn, but it continued with its name until 1984 when the Clough's purchased it and renamed it back to its historic beginnings, The Forest.
2014 addition: Ted Houghton sent us a copy of his sister Pat Houghton Marr's history of the building along with pictures and memorabilia. You can view it here: HOLIDAY INN.
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OK, The Clarendon is really located in North Conway but seems close enough to be related to the Intervale family of Inns and Hotels.
Inside the Clarendon, Intervale, NH
Lodging Intervale -- pg 3
Clarendon Inn Destroyed by Fire in 1963. The Bellview occupied this spot before the Clarendon, it also burned. The story from "the SIGNAL" newspaper is shown below.
embership & Current InfoContact & GuestbooK INDEX & BeginningS People PlacesThings Railroads S
Clarendon Inn: 1908 Photo above and 1930's photo below. It burned 1963 in what was described as "a spectacular fire". The Bellvue occupied this spot before the Clarendon. The Bellvue also burned.
The New Fosscroft Inn appears in an undated ad. The vehicles appear to be 1930's era and the name Henry J. Murphy is shown with a phone number. It does appear substantially remodeled.
The Fosscroft Inn - Intervale Built by Ernest Foss in 1925 at a time when the era of big hotels was coming to an end. It was built on the site of the former Langdon Hotel. As train travel decreased, its time as a hotel was brief and by 1950 it was home to Ray Houle's Yankee Peddler, an antique shop. A reliable source told this editor that when Ray Houle bought the building he moved it across Rt 16 to its final resting spot, just west of todays scenic vista. In 1973 Daniel C Bianchino moved to this building and managed it as the Choo-Choo Inn. His occupancy did not last long as the building was destroyed by fire later in that same year. Mr. Bianchino removed to Dundee and died in North Conway in 2020.
The Headlands - Intervale
This editor has found very little information about Headlands Inn except for a couple of post cards (below). Susan May (1947-2020) was nice to point out that Headlands, The Pequaket House and Smith Tavern were different names for the same building over the years. It was just north of today's Perry's Rest and burned in the 1960's. Does anyone know more? Tell Me
Smith Tavern
Smith Tavern, Intervale, NH Early 1930's (formerly the Pequawket Inn)
I bet you know right where this spot is. Next time you go by this spot remember Smith Tavern was once there and before that it was known as the Pequawket Inn. After the Smith's, Jerry and Carolyn Graves ran it as the Pequawket House.
Pequawket Inn
The Pequawket Inn was built in 1854 by Hazen Pitman whose wife managed both the Inn and the farm. Like many others, it was destroyed by fire in the 1960's.
Mrs. Harriet Vickery's Pequawket House first operated as an Inn beginning in 1845 by Hazen Pitman, Vickery's father. "Hattie" operated the Inn from about 1880 until her death in the early 1900's. The Inn accommodated about 70 people and was considered to appeal to the budget conscience traveller. After her death the Inn was purchased by a Mrs C.C. Small who operated it until 1927; at which time it was purchased by Newell and Gladys Smith who renamed it the Smith Tavern. The next owners were Jerry and Carolyn Graves who renamed it to the Pequawket House. Unfortunately the building was destroyed by fire in the early 1960's.