The Palace in the Woods

            In the late 1890’s and early 1900’s, it was common for railroad companies and other large businesses to construct hotels for company officials to stay in on visits to town. Garret Schenck, who did not live in Millinocket, is an example. The Great Northern Hotel was built for the company to house their out-of-town officials.

            Dorothy Bowler Laverty (daughter of one of GNP’s early draftsmen) grew up across the street from the hotel and included a description of many of the “elegant” amenities available at the hotel in her book Millinocket Magic City of Maine’s Wilderness. The hotel, started in 1899, was completed in 1901.

            The interior “exuded elegance.” Polished brass spittoons sat conveniently near each of the lobby chairs and a potted rubber plant was located in the Ladies’ Parlor. Old cyanotypes (photos) show the lobby’s high tin ceiling, archways leading to other 1st floor spaces and an elaborate wall clock. Visible are tall fluted columns and an elegant couch. The museum has one of the lobby couches on display.

            First floor rooms included one for playing billiards, a bar, sample rooms and writing rooms, a barbershop, a dining room and the only elevator in town except for the one at the mill. Laverty states, “Light from the fireplace (one of three) reflected on the silverware, cut-glass carafe and flower vases on each table.”

            For many of the early guests, the hotel served as their home. All fifty-two rooms were in use and it was necessary to have two sittings for dinner in the dining room. The dining room also became the center for many social gatherings.

            The rooms upstairs were clean and comfortable. A photo shows a white iron bedstead with brass trim in a high-ceilinged room. The walls appear bare and there is a single one-bulb light fixture hanging from the ceiling. Each bed had a white bedspread and Laverty mentions “the bright red wool blankets across the foot of each bed.” These upper floors had emergency exits and escape ladders in case of fire. Also, rooms had a coil of rope “installed” which a guest could “insert himself into this harness and go bravely out the window, letting himself down to the ground.”    

The hotel was built by Shine and Curren at a cost of $40,000. It had three stories, a tower, bays, long verandas and a porte-cochere (grand main entrance doorway with a covered structure allowing a horse and carriage or auto to drop off occupants protected from the elements).

This palatial hotel was situated diagonally across its lot, facing southwest. There were spacious lawns with gravel walks and surrounding flower beds. A boardwalk led from the back door to “downtown.” Quick-growing poplar trees created shade and also caused problems for the neighboring sewer pipes!

The hotel was a grand place, serving the company and the town as the “Little Palace in the Woods” for many years. Its time ended in 1961 when the structure was torn down. Townspeople were offered the chance to bid on items from the hotel at an auction prior to its demolishment. The museum has some dishes, a sewing machine, a painting,  and other items acquired via the auction before the structure was torn down.