Hague Hotels

The land across from the Hague town park is an empty lot today. However, this is the spot of one of the most storied hotels in Hague. Most history buffs can name three of the hotels—but it was actually six! We'll start with the timeline and then we'll get into the details of what buildings were here and when.

1807: The town of Hague is founded.

1810: Nathaniel Garfield, Sr. builds a two-story tavern in the center of Hague and calls it the Garfield Tavern.

1839: Nathaniel Garfield, Sr. dies in Hague. His son, Nathaniel Garfield, Jr. expands the tavern and renames it as the Garfield Hotel.

1843: Philo Foot purchases the property.

1853: Nathaniel Garfield, Jr. dies. His wife, Charlotte, and son, Hiland, continue to run the hotel.

1860/61: William Arthur buys the Garfield Hotel and runs it as Arthur's Hotel.

1862: Philo Foot transfers some of the property to Samuel Miller.

1863: The building burns and is replaced by the Phoenix Hotel in 1864. 

1867: Samuel H. Miller and Sarah M. Miller sell the property to William S. Miller. Upon his death, his son Kilburn A. Miller becomes the owner of the property.

1873-1883: J. W. Rising is the proprietor.

1882/83: Mrs. Miller leases the property to Alva Grimes.

1884: Mr. Gilligan leases the property.

1891: George Marshall is the proprietor for nine years. 

1900: Mr. Miller and wife sell property in Graphite and pay the mortgage on the Phoenix.

1902: F. W. Snow is the landlord and the property is leased to George Streeter and Truman Waters. 

1903: George Streeter and Truman Waters become proprietors when Snow retires as landlord. 

1904: Frank Ownes is the proprietor.

1907: Streeter is the proprietor.

1911: A. J. Wilson is the proprietor.

1913: George Streeter dies and Sara Streeter becomes the owner.

1926: James Leach is the proprietor.

1927: James Leach buys it. 

1928: The garage burns.

1935: The property is sold in a tax sale to John Whitley and Frank Fish. Robert Wood is the proprietor. 

1936: It gets a new coat of paint and is called the Lake View House. Mrs. Robert McNeil is the manager.

1940: The Beachside Motel is mentioned in the Ticonderoga Sentinel.

1947: It is purchased by Charles H. and Ada Burgey and is later inherited by their son, Charles S, and his wife, Margaret.

1958: The Beachside Hotel burns. It was rebuilt in the form of a motel.

1979: The property is sold to Michael T. and Linda Coffin. 

1986: The property is sold to Ronald Hansen and Walter and Roberta Bernier. 

1988: The property is sold to the Addison Corporation (David Darrin).

1991: The Beachside and the Cave (the legendary basement bar) are razed.

In the early 1900s, the Garfield family moved to Hague from Massachusetts and built the first tavern in the hamlet. They were an active and prominent family for at least 50 years and were very involved in the political development of the new town of Hague. But by the early 1860s, all members of this family had moved further west. They remain an important part of history, however, and several members of the family are buried in the Hague Heritage Cemetery, including patriarch Nathaniel Garfield, Sr., a revolutionary soldier.

The Garfield property was part of a tract land grant from the State of New York by Letters Patent to James Caldwell, Robert McClellan, and Robert Cochrane. Around 1810, about 200 acres of land encompassing the area known today as Holman Hill as well as the flat land across from the town beach was purchased by Nathaniel Garfield, Sr. The Garfield family settled in Hague and built their home, which was known as Garfield's Tavern and was open to visitors.

Hague Historian Clifton West wrote: “At first, it was a two-story building with a large addition in the back. The lower part of this was for wood storage. Upstairs there was a single room where town meetings and dances were held. It later became the property of Garfield’s son, Nathaniel Garfield, Jr. and his wife, Charlotte. A larger hotel was built (perhaps added on to the original) and was run as the Garfield Hotel.

The property had a succession of owners and a still longer list of proprietors. Dates vary from different sources and even the search of the deed records has been inconclusive.

The Garfield Hotel burned in 1963 and was rebuilt as The Phoenix. It was a white three-story building with a large porch and a garage. Philo Foot purchased the property in 1843 from the Garfields. In 1962, Foot sold some property to Samuel and Sarah Miller, but it’s not clear if this included the hotel. The proprietors during this time, in addition to the above, appear to be William Arthur, Ed Norton, and Alonzo Russell.

In 1867, the property was sold to William Miller. Then it came into the hands of his son, Kilburn A. Miller, and then his wife, Sara. After his death, Sara married George Streeter. Proprietors during this time were Joel Rising, Alpha Grimes, William Gilligan, G. F. Marshall, Frank Snow, and Truman Waters. Sill later proprietors included Mr. and Mrs. Frank Owens, Mrs. G. D. Streeter, and James Leach.

Charles H. Burgey and his wife, Ada, of Ticonderoga purchased the property in 1947 from John Whitley.  

A fire in 1958 ravaged the three-story building and it was replaced by a single-story structure called the Beachside Motel. The Beachside property was sold to Michael and Linda Coffin in 1979 and they in turn sold it in 1986. The owners were not successful and The Addison Corporation (David Darrin) purchased the property in December of 1988 from Ronald Hanson and Roberta Bernier. The business had been closed and the buildings unoccupied for approximately two years before the sale. The motel building was razed in 1991.

The bar in the basement, called the Cave, was quite a legendary establishment.

Mentions of these hotels in literature:

A Bit of Hague History by Clifton West, Hague Historian 

“The former Beachside started out as the Garfield Tavern. It was built around 1810 when Nathaniel Garfield came to Hague and erected the only building in what was now the village. The family came to this country in the 1600s. Captain Benjamin had two sons, Thomas and Samuel. The former founded President Garfield's line, and Samuel was the ancestor of Nathaniel, who came to Hague. 

Nathaniel was a justice of the peace and was elected supervisor in 1825, 1830, and 1836. The Garfield property included the present Holman Hill Farm and much more. At first, it was a two-story building with a large addition in the back. The lower part of this was used for wood storage. Upstairs was a single room where the town meetings and dances were held. Around 1860, William Arthur bought it. It burned in 1863. Then a new building was erected and named the Phoenix, after the bird of that name who arose from the ashes of the old one. This was a three-story hotel. The Cave bar was in the basement. While owned by the Burgey family, it burned in 1958. Then a large building was erected and called the Beachside. Besides being a motel, it contained The Cave bar in the basement and a large room on the first floor used as a restaurant. The Cave closed in 1989. David Darrin then bought the property. David DeFranco razed it in 1991.

History of Warren County. Edited by H. P. Smith, D. Mason and Co. Publisher 

Syracuse, NY, 1885 

“There is but one regular hotel in town besides the one kept by Samuel Westburn at Sabbath Day Point, namely the Phoenix Hotel under the management of Mr. Gilligan. The site has been covered by a hotel for many years and indeed it is said that some sort of in has stood there ever since Hague has had a local habitation and a name. Nathaniel Garfield kept it in there in the 30s and probably earlier. He built a more pretentious tavern in about 1840 and remained there for years, acquiring in the meantime an enviable reputation as T. Addison Richards spoke of him in the following language: 

‘Three miles onward from Sabbath Day Point we make the little village of Hague, if village it can be styled. The visitor will remember it the locality as Garfields--one of the oldest and most esteemed summer camps. Judge Garfield would seem to have had an intimate acquaintance with every deer on the hill-side and with every trout in the waters, so habitually are these gentry found at his luxurious table. An excellent landing facilitates the approach to Garfield's and the steamboat touches daily up and down. His son, Hilland Garfield, was associated with him during the latter part of his reign. In the spring of 1861, they sold out to William A. O. Arthur. While he was the owner in 1863, it was destroyed by fire. William Miller then secured the title to the property and at once erected the present house. He kept the house for a time and then leased it to various persons, notably Edwin Norton and Alonzo Russell. He died in October 1873. The hotel was then in the hands of Joel W. Rising, now proprietor of Rising’s Hotel in Chestertown, who remained until 1883. Mrs. Marilla Miller, widow of the deceased proprietor of former days and now owner of the house, then leased it to Alvah E. Grimes. The new landlord remained about 18 months and then left, and Mr. Gilligan, in the fall of 1884, took an assignment of the lease and now conducts the business. He has had considerable hotel experience at Fort Ticonderoga and knows how to keep, what in fact he does keep, an excellent hotel. The rooms are neatly furnished and ventilated, and the table cannot be surpassed. The house has a capacity for 50 guests.

Business card of Arthur's Hotel 

(collection of Norelle Meehan, descendant of William Arthur)

Arthur's Hotel (late Garfield House) Hague, Warren Co., NY

The above well-known house, situated on the banks of Lake George, nine miles from old Fort Ticonderoga and 25 miles from Caldwell, has been recently fitted up and refurnished in good order. For those who desire a Summer retreat, none can be found more attractive about this beautiful body of water. A Steamer touches at this point twice every day, rendering it easy of access, and a good supply of boats and fishing apparatus always on hand. For families or individuals, in hot weather, it challenges comparison with any similar place of resort in the country. 

Wm. A. G. Arthur, proprietor

Articles from The Ticonderoga Sentinel:

• October-December 1874: “A light fantastic is reported at the Phoenix Hotel for Thursday evening next.”
• July 7, 1882: “Boarders are arriving in Hague. The Phoenix has seven.”
• October-December 1896: “About thirty couples attended the Christmas ball at the Phoenix Hotel, Hague. Landlord Marshall spared no pains to make the occasion pleasant.” 
• February 1, 1900: “K. A. Miller and wife spent two days last week conveying their mountain property to the Graphite Company. Consideration $2000, which enables them to pay their mortgage on the Phoenix Hotel.” 
• July-September, 1900: “Grand Hop at Phoenix Hotel, Hague on Lake George. On Wednesday evening last, the guests of the Phoenix Hotel gave a hop which easily surpassed anything of the kind ever given in Hague. The hotel was beautifully decorated. The north piazza was festooned with pine and evergreen, while Japanese lanterns twinkled in all directions. Besides the piazza, the dining room and parlor were used for dancing and both were artistically set off by bunting and flowers. Lawns were also illuminated with lanterns and the effect was beautiful. The good orchestra from Ticonderoga was in attendance and dancing began about nine. All Hague was represented, while the different islands, camps, and hotels sent their quota. The lawns proved such an attraction that they enticed many a couple from the floor. Seen from the summer house, the hotel seemed like a miniature fairyland. The pretty gowns, the lights, the strains of the violins, the low laughter made of mental picture not easily to be forgotten.” 
• April, 1901: “The Phoenix Hotel is being painted outside and touched up inside.” 
• September 4, 1902: “Baseball at Hague. Hague 8- Uncas 4. One of the largest, noisiest, and sportiest crowds seen in Hague this year was assembled on the Phoenix campus last Saturday afternoon to watch what proved to be the hottest ball game of the season, the contesting nines being represented Uncas and Hague.”
• February 5, 1903: “Ice races at Hague. Richard Bolton, proprietor of the Trout House, and Streeter & Waters, proprietors of the Phoenix Hotel, of Hague, will give three days racing on the ice at Hague on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, February 11, 12, and 13.”
• July 2, 1936: “The old Phoenix Hotel, brightened by a new coat of pant, has been christened the Lake View House and is now open for business. Extensive repairs have been made and the grounds have been improved with flowers. Mrs. Robert McNeal of Ticonderoga is the manager this year.”

Researched by Judy Stock in 2010.