Happy June! As we enter the summer months, our minds begin to wander to thoughts of vacations and this month’s featured item is along that same vein. We’re sharing Souvenir of New England's Great Resorts, a souvenir book by George H. Haynes that dates to 1891. Within its pages are images and descriptions of seventeen of the premier resorts found on the northeast coast - including a few in Massachusetts!
This book of resorts was published during the height of the Gilded Age, a period in American history marked by a high level of opulence and extravagance for the upper class. During this time, the expansion of the railroad system contributed to an increase of industrialization (and the wealth that came with it), and also led to a rise in the summer tourism business. An expanded railroad system allowed people to travel from their homes in the city to lavish resorts located in more rural and tranquil spots. In this book, some of the resort descriptions even include information about how they can be reached via train from Boston or New York. Once guests arrived at the resorts, they were met by grand dining rooms and ballrooms, elegant lobbies, and verandas to relax on. The resorts also offered recreational activities, like croquet, horseback riding, and golf. In sum, these resorts were places for the wealthy to see and be seen.
Two of the resorts featured in this book were located in Massachusetts: The Hotel Chatham on Cape Cod, and the Hotel Vendome in Boston.
Like its name suggests, the Hotel Chatham was located on a peninsula in Chatham Port on Cape Cod. The resort opened in July 1889 with seventy rooms and expanded to one hundred rooms the following year. According to its description in this book, “Its magnificent furnishings, spacious piazzas, bowling alleys, billiard rooms, electric lights throughout the house, together with the purest of water, perfect plumbing and drainage, steam-heat and open fires, combines to make this one of the best equipped of modern hotels.” The resort’s remote location on the peninsula allowed for each room to have a water view, but also proved to be part of its downfall. The Hotel Chatham was not accessible by railroad, which made it difficult to get to. The resort’s popularity was also affected by the economic Panic of 1893 and its subsequent depression. The Hotel Chatham was first put up for sale in 1904 and changed hands a few times before it was demolished in 1910.
The Hotel Vendome was a luxury hotel, but unlike most of the other resorts mentioned in this book, it was located on Commonwealth Avenue in the upscale Back Bay neighborhood of Boston rather than in a rural country or coastal setting. Its neighbors in nearby Copley Square included the Museum of Fine Arts (before it moved to its current Huntington Avenue location), the Boston Public Library, and Trinity Church. The Hotel Vendome opened in 1871 and a large expansion was completed in 1881. In the book, its description mentions Boston attractions but also suggests that the hotel could be used as a home-base for those wishing to tour around New England during the summer. It is described as “very desirable as a summer home and to tourists visiting the seashore or mountain resorts, a delightful place to rest for a few days from the fatigues of traveling.” One of the luxuries that guests of the hotel enjoyed was the assurance that “excursions can easily be made to the neighboring seashore resorts and return to town the same day. Railroad tickets may be procured in the hotel, and all arrangements for baggage, car seats, lunches, etc. will be attended to if desired.” The Hotel Vendome remained in business until it was sold in 1971, and work began to renovate it into condominiums. Tragically, a fire occurred during the renovation, which is described in detail in this article on the Boston Fire Historical Society’s website. After the fire, the renovations were completed, and the Vendome stands today as a luxury condominium building.
Each of the resorts featured in this book have their own fascinating history, and while we can’t go into detail for all of them, we did a little research to see how many are still in existence. Take note if you are planning a vacation, because a surprising number of the resorts featured in this book are still taking reservations! The Ocean House (Newport, RI), The Maplewood (Bethlehem, NH), and The Algonquin (St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, New Brunswick) have all been modernized but retain their original historical charm. The Wentworth, also known as Wentworth by the Sea (New Castle, NH) was vacant for many years but was renovated and reopened as a Marriott resort in 2003. The similarly named Wentworth Hall and Cottages (Jackson, NH) is also still in existence, though it is now known as “The Wentworth: an Elegant Country Inn.” In South Poland, ME the original structure of the Poland Spring House, as well as the buildings it expanded to, burned down in 1975 but there is still a Poland Springs resort in the area. And the structures of two of the resorts remain, though they now serve a different function: The Rockingham (Portsmouth, NH) has been converted to condominiums, and The Hotel Champlain (Plattsburg, NY) is now the Clinton Community College. Unfortunately, the other hotels not listed here were either destroyed in fires, or they changed ownership and management over the years before being demolished.
Check out all of the resorts featured in this book on DSpace. Read the descriptions of their lavish accommodations and enjoy drawings of their buildings and surrounding the landscapes. And happy vacationing!
Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian
