USA > Vermont > Windham County > Rockingham > History of the town of Rockingham, Vermont, including the villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Cambridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with family genealogies > Part 34
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85
The number of public houses in the village of Rocking- ham has varied. At the present time there is but one, known as Lovell's hotel, located on the north side of the main street. During the last days of the stage coach there were at least two others, one kept in the large dwelling across the street from the present hotel, on the east corner of the road to Sax- tons River. The other, known as Severance's hotel, was kept in the large dwelling now standing the second east of the old church, on the road to Bellows Falls.
The first hotel building in Bellows Falls, of which there is definite record, is now the old tenement building standing
5
BELLOWS FALLS STAGE HOUSE, ERECTED IS16, BURNED MARCH 14, 1860.
Deats
"OLD MORGAN TAVERN," ERECTED PREVIOUS TO 179S AND STILL STANDING.
375
Earliest Bellows Falls Hotels
on the west side of Rockingham street next north of the Cen- tral house, and known as "Frost's Block." In the year 1798 Quartus Morgan came to Bellows Falls and purchased the building in which had been conducted a hotel, and to which he frequently referred in after years as "a very old building when I bought it." He continued to use it as a hotel until his death in 1810, and his widow Lorana used it as such until 1814 when she erected the present Morgan homestead and moved there. For some years later it was used for a hotel and then it was made into two tenements. It is now occupied for various business purposes and is the oldest build- ing in the limits of Bellows Falls.
It was probably the only hotel at that early date, although there is a tradition. from Mr. Morgan that when he came to town there was another on the present site of the hotel Wind- ham.
During the period when the canal was in construction, from 1792 to 1802, this hostelry was a popular resort and patronized by many eminent people. After the establish- ment of regular stages it was the principal "stage house" until the erection of "Robertson's Tavern" in 1816. With- out doubt many functions of an important nature occurred here in those early days, but there is no record of them and the traditions are vague.
Previous to 1817, the "Tucker Mansion," built for a fine residence at the east end of the toll bridge, had been used for a time as a hotel. In that year the owner, Fred W. Geyer of Boston, advertised it to rent as the "Mansion-House Hotel," describing its location.
The first recorded hotel on the site of the present Hotel Windham was a two-story frame building erected in 1816 by Col. E. B. Webb and Solomon Snow. The original cost was $3,000, and the owners becoming embarrassed, it was sold at auction, July 10, 1821, to John Robertson of Hinsdale for $2,700. When first erected, it was known as "Webb's Hotel," and after its purchase by Mr. Robertson its name was "Robert- son's Tavern." When competition in hotel and stage busi-
376
History of Rockingham
ness became sharp, a few years later, the name was changed to "The Bellows Falls Stage House," by which name it was known until it was burned in 1860. It was purchased by Col. Russell Hyde "of Guilford" March 10, 1834 and he added a third story. By some it was called "Hyde's Hotel" but the name "Stage House " was the more common, as all the stages passing through the village stopped there.
In the years 1839-1841 the hostelry was operated by the firm of Davis & Russell.
Wells W. Felt was proprietor in 1854. In later years he became widely known as connected with the Lindell House, St. Louis, the Tremont of Chicago, and later the palatial Gardner House of Chicago. Mr. Felt left the "Stage House" November 1, 1855, and was succeeded by two young men named Finlay and Holmes.
In the fall of 1856, Solon S. Finlay was " proprietor " and Edward Jones, "superintendent."
Late in 1857, a man named Sanderson was proprietor, and M. W. Merrill of Shelburne Falls took it early in 1858.
Older citizens of to-day tell many interesting facts in rela- tion to the style in which this tavern was conducted in its early days. Among the boarders here for many years were Thomas Green Fessenden, the first editor of the Bellows Falls Intelligencer, Hon. William Henry, who in after years became a member of congress from this district, and many others. When William Henry brought to Bellows Falls as a young boy the late James H. Williams (Ist), who in later years became the head of the banking institutions of this vil- lage, he placed him as a boarder in Robertson's tavern.
One Fourth of July some representatives of Young America, in celebrating at a very early hour in the morning, had an old canon which they were causing to "talk" in front of Mammoth block across the Square. The patrons of Rob- ertson's tavern, being unable to sleep, were many of them sauntering about the house. A guest of the house, who had been lying on an old haircloth sofa in the "sitting-room," on the south side, had just risen and sauntered out to the piazza.
Y
Entertainment FOT
Man and BeasT
Q.Morgan
99
SIGN OF THE OLD MORGAN TAVERN. 1799-IS14.
The "Bellows Falls Stage House" 377
He stood leaning against the second pillar from the east when the boys in their excitement, forgetting to remove the iron ramrod from the cannon, fired it toward the hotel. The ramrod passed between the post and the guest, and through the side of the building into the sitting-room, lengthwise through the lounge from which the guest had just risen, and buried itself in the opposite wall of the room, without doing further damage.
The picture from which the accompanying cut of the old Stage House was made was a daguerreotype taken about the time of its sale by Col. Hyde in 1834. The persons on the piazza are identified by a daughter of Col. Hyde as (reading from left to right) Hon. William Henry, Judge Horace Bax- ter, William "Fred" Hall, Col. N. T. Sheafe and the boy "Jimmie " Mead.
The addition on the ground floor at the right was the room used for a bar before prohibition days. The left-hand corner room, corresponding to the reading room of the Hotel Windham, was the " sitting room " and parlor. When first erected, about one-third of the second floor was used as a dancing hall, the rest being devoted to sleeping rooms.
The building was destroyed by fire in the conflagration of March 14, 1860. It was then owned by Charles Towns, who had purchased it in July of the previous year.
Previous to July, 1826, a hotel was built on the west side of the Square by James I. Cutler & Co. The front piazza stood where the front of the present Chase Furniture com- pany block is. From this, a little back from the street, and extending south toward the School street stairs, was a long row of horse sheds, with a public hall over them, south of which stood the hotel barn, which extended to where the stairs now stand.
The main building extending back from the street was at right angles with the horse sheds, as is shown by the plan of that portion of the Square made in 1839. This plan gives the relative locations and shapes of this and the old Robert- son tavern. The accompanying cut, which was made from
378
History of Rockingham
one of a very early period, is defective in representing the building to be in a straight line. In the cut can be seen the old pump and the wooden trough in front of the sheds, by means of which water for horses and for the hotel was drawn from a well beneath. The water for the hotel was taken in at a door opening into the kitchen from the horse shed nearest the house. The stairs leading to the public hall over the sheds were through the shed farthest from the hotel. The church steeple seen over the hotel building is that of the first Immanuel church erected in 1817, and replaced in 1867 by the present stone structure.
The first proprietor of this hostelry was Solomon Mann. For many years it was known as the "Mansion House," and in later years as the "American House."
Capt. Theodore Griswold was the proprietor in 1840 when Daniel Webster was a guest on his historic trip to Stratton mountain. At that time Mr. Webster addressed a great throng of people from the top of the piazza.
In this hotel was held December 13, 1826 the historic banquet tendered to the officers and crew of the "Barnet," the first steamer to reach Bellows Falls from tide-water.
For some years the hall over the horse sheds was the principal public hall of the village and in it many important gatherings occurred. A number of the present church organ- izations held their meetings in this hall before they had church edifices. At the south end, over the last horse shed, were two anterooms or "dressing rooms." The entrance to the hall from the outside was from this horse shed and through these anterooms, another entrance being at the opposite end from the second story of the hotel.
A number of present citizens tell of their personal knowl- edge regarding an assault upon these anterooms. When not used in connection with the hall, they were at times rented for various purposes. One year a number of well known business men became so interested in playing cards, and gambling therewith, that they neglected both their business and their wives at home. At last a number of the staid
HOUSE OF REV. SAMUEL WHITING. (See Page 14S.)
T
"MANSION HOUSE," LATER THE "AMERICAN HOUSE." Erected previous to July, 1826, burned Nov. 17, 1867.
379
Mansion House
matrons of the village investigated, and one night looking through the windows of these rooms from the high bank in the rear saw their husbands engrossed in an interesting game. They quietly summoned a number of other women who also had husbands there, and the party arming them- selves with sticks and stones approached the rear and stormed the citadel, demolishing the windows and driving out the men, who later straggled home, somewhat discomfited, not knowing who had committed the deed. This assault had the effect of breaking up the practice.
Others tell of watching the different balls and entertain- ments in the hall, as boys, from the top of the bank wall that still stands in the rear, the windows being nearly level with the wall and only three or four feet distant. This afforded an excellent opportunity for all sorts of boyish tricks. These buildings, with the exception of the barn, were destroyed by fire November 17, 1857.
The stately Island House building still standing on the north side of Bridge street is a constant reminder of the days when it was the scene of many social triumphs and the tem- porary home of both beauty and greatness. Its outlines to-day are the same as when built in 1851, although its interior is occupied for storage, tenements and even manufacturing pur- poses. It has an interesting history.
Until the above year the site now covered by this building had been occupied by one of the best dwellings of the village, built about 1792 by Dr. Samuel Cutler and occupied by him, later by his son-in-law, Rector Carlton Chase, and last by Judge Horace Baxter. In 1850 Col. Roswell Shurtleff remodelled the old dwelling into a frame hotel, not as large as the present brick building. Just as it was about completed and ready for occupancy the building was destroyed by fire and Col. Shurtleff at once began the erection of the present structure. This was about the time of the opening of the four lines of railroad into the place and, in addition to being a railroad centre, it was proposed to make Bellows Falls an important summer resort. Eminent success followed these
380
History of Rockingham
efforts and for some years the Island House was one of the best known and most popular summer hotels of New England.
Until the Civil war broke out its best class of patrons was composed of wealthy citizens from southern cities, some of whom spent the whole season here, and others stopped over on their way to the White mountains and on their return. The war put an end to this class of patronage and from that time its success declined.
Early in its history considerable money was spent on the surroundings and in providing excursions and entertainment for its guests. Nearly all the land on the Island except what was owned by the railroad was the property of Col. Shurt- leff. He had two large bowling alleys near where the office of the Vermont Farm Machine company now is, and the building now occupied by the Fall Mountain House was erected for an entertainment hall that saw many scenes of gaiety and festivity. For some years it was the largest and best public hall in the village. The stables and the exten- sive gardens and greenhouses were in the rear of the hotel building, on land now covered by the works of the Bellows Falls Machine company, while across Bridge street in front, and on the two sides were parks with fountains and statuary, and a grove of large pine trees extending over the whole length of the rocky river bank opposite the falls.
A good carriage road was built to the summit of Mount Kilburn and a picnic and observation house built on Table rock. During the season carriages took guests twice each day to the top of the mountain, and also to the noted Aben- aqui mineral spring.
The decline of the business in the '60's and '70's led to a gradual sale of the property surrounding the house on the island. Manufactories crept in, the branch railroad to the mills was built along the river bank, destroying its pictu- resqueness, and the managers lost money each year. As a result, it was closed as a hotel in the fall of 1887.
No complete list of managers has been obtained. Among
ISLAND HOUSE, ERECTED IN IS51.
381
Island House
its managers and proprietors was Col. Shurtleff as late as 1854. In March, 1859, it was sold to E. D. Page, S. Chase and I. M. Questen of Nashua, N. H. In June, 1860, C. R. White relinquished the management and E. G. Ball became the manager. Edmund Jones was proprietor in May, 1861, and Stephen Taft of Worcester, Mass., in May, 1862. During the '70's S. C. Fleming was manager a a portion of the time and Charles Towns later. It was owned by the Charles Towns estate and managed by Charles W. Towns when it was permanently closed.
President U. S. Grant was a guest of the hotel and spoke from its balcony to a large concourse of people August 7, 1869. The veteran general W. T. Sherman was a guest and spoke also from the balcony July 23, 1869.
On one occasion the Ancient and Honorable Artillery of Boston had a banquet there and of the fragments that remained of the feast six hundred and fifty bottles formed a not inconspicuous portion.
As a part of the tourist business, and in connection with the development of the summer hotel business of the Island House, arrangements were early made for the development of a noted mineral spring situated in Walpole nearly two miles from the hotel and known as the Abenaqui Mineral spring. It can still be found east of the farmhouse of Mrs. Joseph Wells, just south of the meadow in which once stood the cabin of John Kilburn, the first settler of Walpole. It is situated about two-thirds of the distance up the hill toward the top of the next terrace, and about fifteen feet southwest of, and beneath, the magnificent elm that alone to-day stands guard over the spot. It is but a few rods from the upper road to Walpole, from which it is approached.
Previous to the coming of the white man, the Indians from far and near had faith in the curative qualities of the water, and often came from long distances to receive its benefits in cases of cutaneous diseases. In 1801 Deacon Samuel Wightman came from Rehoboth, Mass., and pur-
382
History of Rockingham
chased three hundred and fifty acres of land in the vicinity of the mouth of Cold river. This purchase included the spring, and from that time it was commonly known as the " Wightman spring." It was not greatly developed until about the time of the erection of the Island House, although for some years it was confidently expected by some persons that Bellows Falls would rival Saratoga as a watering place. Early in the year 1849, Algernon Sidney Baxter, son of Judge Horace Baxter of Bellows Falls, secured possession of two acres of land, including the spring, and in that year he had an analysis of its properties made by Aug. A. Hayes, the state assayer of Massachusetts. The following is a portion of his report made to Mr. Baxter, and used for many years in connection with the advertising :
* Ist .- Forty gallons of this water contain. dissolved, nitrogen, oxygen, carbonic acid gases.
I gallon afforded 13.34 salts dried at 200° F.
13.34 salts were decomposed into Crenate of iron . 7.10
Crenate of lime 4.1I
Chloride of sodium, sulphates of soda, and lime and silica . . 2.13
13.34
2d .- After a season of drought and the autumnal rains had commenced 1 gallon afforded, of salts 12.16 grs.
· 12.16 grs. were decomposed and separated into Crenate of iron . . . 7.81 Crenate of lime . . . 2.60 Chloride of sodium . 0.31 Sulphate of soda . . . 0.32 Sulphate of lime . . 0.64 Silica . . 0.41
Traces of Alumina and magnesia 12.09
It is well known that the protoxide salts of iron are among those tonic inedieines on which the greatest reliance is placed, and chalybeate waters are also known to possess the highest restorative powers. In view of these facts, ] do not hesitate in expressing my belief that this will be found a valuable medicinal water.
Respectfully,
A. A. HAYES, State Assayer. I Pine St., Boston, 27th, Feb. 1851."
383
Abenaqui Mineral Spring
Mr. Baxter expended large sums of money in improve- ments about the spring. It was substantially walled in, making a large reservoir in the side of the hill, and a pavil- ion was erected over it. Pipes led from the spring into a large granite fountain for drinking, from which the bottled water was sold in bulk. From this fountain the waters were conducted into the top of a building in which were bath tubs, and also shower baths, which were patronized by thou- sands.
The grounds were artistically laid out, the spring being so far up on the hillside as to admit of several terraces, or "off-sets" as they were termed. Another building contained a bowling alley, and lunch rooms, and there was a dancing pavilion. The buildings were "of a Gothic style of architec- ture " and presented an inviting appearance. Public teams were run on pleasant days during the summer season once in two hours between the Island House and the spring, and less frequently to the "Mountain House" on Table rock on Mount Kilburn.
An advertisement issued by Mr. Baxter in 1853, after giv-' ing a full description of the springs, their curative qualities and of the surroundings, says :
"It is incumbent upon the manager and proprietor to say, that the Springs are conducted strictly upon the temperance plan, and consequently none but the best in society will visit the Springs, where Bowling, and Swinging, and Bathing, and Sauntering and all rational and agreeable pas- times will be allowed.
A new and recent discovery adds greatly to the numerous and pleasing attractions in the vicinity of the Spring. It is a bewitching Echo, which holds out allurements to all who are fond of talking with themselves. It is to be found opposite the Cold River Railroad Bridge, possessing a very delightful and cool locality, shaded by a beautiful grove of Elm and Butternut trees. The sound of the human voice, from the echo is perfectly charming, and the reverberated sound of a musical instrument is absolutely captivating. All laughter-loving persons are particularly recommended to visit the Echo. and introduce a dialogue which will cause their chests to swell with spas- modic mirth."
On a map of Cheshire county, printed in 1858, is shown " the location of a remarkable echo" catalogued among the attractions of the Island House. The spot where the listener
384
History of Rockingham
should stand was about half-way down the hill north of the Thomas N. Keves' farmhouse, and near the highway. The echo came from the Vermont side of the river. All trace of it was lost about 1860, probably from changes made in the forests or buildings which had caused it.
With the decline of the tourist business of the Island House, the popularity of the Abenaqui springs and their surroundings lessened. The buildings gradually fell into decay, the last one disappearing about 1870.
The two acres of land, carved out of the farm owned by Mrs. Joseph Wells, passed into possession of the late Thomas N. Keyes, and from him to the present owner, Henry C. Rawson.
From the year 1836, when the extensive cotton mill project was launched in Bellows Falls, until 1852, a large two-story frame building stood on the present location of the Vermont Farm Machine company's office on the island south of the railroad station. For a number of years it was occupied for a hotel and known as the "Valley House." It was built as a boarding house in connection with the cotton factory and was destroyed by fire in 1852. Previous to 1850, it had been conducted by a man named Gage, who later became a prominent hotel proprietor in Chicago. A card of this hotel still in existence and dated 1851, reads "Valley Hotel, For- merly Gage's Hotel, by Chas. F. Sawyer, Bellows Falls, Vt. : passengers conveyed to and from the depot free."
After the burning of the "Bellows Falls Stage House" on the east side of the Square, March 14, 1860, its site remained vacant until 1873, when Charles Towns erected the modern brick three-story French-roof building which has done such good service since to the traveling public. Mr. Towns and his family owned and managed the hotel under the name "Towns Hotel" from its opening. August, 1873, until its upper stories were destroyed by fire April 12, 1899. The building was then remodeled to the present four- story brick building, the name of which was still Towns' Hotel until February, 1902, when it was opened by the
385
Other Hotels
present proprietor, F. F. Shepard, under the name "Hotel Windham."
The hotel building on the west side of Rockingham street next north of the opera house, now the "Central House," was erected in the year 1885 by its present owner, Henry S. Frost. It was first opened to the public under the name of "Commercial House" with A. P. Pollard as proprietor.
"Hotel Rockingham" located between Rockingham and Canal streets, was erected by its present owner, L. T. Lovell, and first opened as a hotel May 11, 1895, its first managers being A. P. Pollard and L. T. Mosley
Bellows Falls has, in the greater part of its history, been fortunate in the quality of its hotels. In number, the high water mark seems to have been reached in 1823, when a directory of the state credits it with "seven taverns." The low water mark was reached in 1860, when for a few months subsequent to the burning of the old Bellows Falls Stage House the village had no hotel, and the citizens opened their houses in many instances to travelers. L. D. Hurd, who then was proprietor of the depot restaurant, furnished meals and lodgings to strangers. The hotel was burned in March, 1860, and the first hotel to be opened thereafter was in Harris block on Canal street. It was opened the next Febru- ary by L. P. Bowker and contined for several years as the only public house of the place.
The old buildings known collectively as the "Cold River House," located a mile south of Bellows Falls at the south end of Mount Kilburn, were erected about 1801 by Deacon Samuel Wightman, who came that year from Rehoboth, Mass., and purchased about three hundred and fifty acres of land in that vicinity. He lived a short time in a tavern on the site of the present farm buildings just south, known as the Keyes place. This tavern was destroyed by fire about 1867. Deacon Wightman erected the Cold River House buildings for his son-in-law, Zachariah Carpenter, who was the land- lord many years. Deacon Wightman lived with Mr. Car- penter, dying there December 26, 1827, at the age of eighty-
26
386
History of Rockingham
nine. Mr. Carpenter was in turn succeeded by his son-in-law, Warren Daniels. Soon after the building of the Cheshire railroad, the property passed into the hands of that corpora- tion, where it has since remained, and has been occupied for hotel purposes almost continuously for over one hundred years. During stage coach times it was one of the noted hostelries of this part of New England.
In Saxtons River village the old hotel which was demolished in 1903 to make room for the present modern hotel building was commenced as early as 1817 by Capt. Jonathan Barron, who was one of the early settlers and at that time held large amounts of real estate in that vicinity. He erected the ell first and, becoming financially embarrassed, suspended work, and it was at least six years before the main building was finished. This building was a familiar landmark during the last three-fourths of a century, and during the last fifty years of its existence it was decorated by two painted lions on the gable which attracted much attention. This was always the principal hotel of the village, although at various times there were others. The building was completed by Col. Carter Whitcomb, who at first had a store where the parlor was. During various years a hall in this building was occupied by the Masonic fraternity of the town, and it was here, June 23, 1828, that the last meeting of the order was held previous to the suspension of meetings for thirty years, caused by the Anti-Masonic wave that swept across the country. Col. Whitcomb was proprietor at that time. In September. 1856, Abel K. Wilder became the owner and proprietor of this hotel and it remained in the hands of the family until the location was wanted by the builders of the new structure in 1903.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.