Mountain View House
Encyclopedia
The Mountain View House -- now called The Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa -- is a historic grand hotel
at 120 Mountain View Road in Whitefield
, New Hampshire
, United States
.
After the Civil War
, tourism became popular in the White Mountains
, especially with the arrival of the railroad. In 1865, William and Mary Dodge first accepted boarders
into their home. By 1866, the couple officially opened an inn
called The Mountain View House. Over the years, several additions were built, which by 1884 could accommodate over 100 guests. The facilities were greatly enlarged to accommodate over 200 guests in 1911 and 1912, when the iconic belvedere
tower
was added to the facade
.
The property remained in the family until it was sold in 1979. But the new owners proved unsuccessful; it closed in 1986, with the furnishings auction
ed in 1989. Then in 1998, Kevin Craffey, a general contractor
from Duxbury, Massachusetts
, purchased the vacant hotel, which included 360 acres (146 hectares), a 9-hole golf course
, clubhouse and conference hall
. After an extensive renovation
, the hotel reopened on May 22, 2002 as The Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa. In 2005, the business was purchased by the American Financial Group
, a holding company
which owns historic luxury hotels, including The Biltmore
in Coral Gables
, Florida
, Le Pavillon
in New Orleans
, Louisiana
, The Cincinnatian
in Cincinnati
, Ohio
, and the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina in Charleston
, South Carolina
.
The Mountain View House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
at 120 Mountain View Road in Whitefield
Whitefield, New Hampshire
Whitefield is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, USA, in the White Mountains Region. The population was 2,306 at the 2010 census. Situated on the northern edge of the White Mountains, Whitefield is home to the Mount Washington Regional Airport and the White Mountains Regional High...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, tourism became popular in the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
, especially with the arrival of the railroad. In 1865, William and Mary Dodge first accepted boarders
Boarding house
A boarding house, is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide "bed...
into their home. By 1866, the couple officially opened an inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
called The Mountain View House. Over the years, several additions were built, which by 1884 could accommodate over 100 guests. The facilities were greatly enlarged to accommodate over 200 guests in 1911 and 1912, when the iconic belvedere
Belvedere (structure)
Belvedere is an architectural term adopted from Italian , which refers to any architectural structure sited to take advantage of such a view. A belvedere may be built in the upper part of a building so as to command a fine view...
tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
was added to the facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
.
The property remained in the family until it was sold in 1979. But the new owners proved unsuccessful; it closed in 1986, with the furnishings auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
ed in 1989. Then in 1998, Kevin Craffey, a general contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
from Duxbury, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, purchased the vacant hotel, which included 360 acres (146 hectares), a 9-hole golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, clubhouse and conference hall
Conference hall
A conference hall or conference room is a room provided for singular events such as business conferences and meetings. It is commonly found at large hotels and convention centers though many other establishments, including even hospitals, have one. Sometimes other rooms are modified for large...
. After an extensive renovation
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
, the hotel reopened on May 22, 2002 as The Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa. In 2005, the business was purchased by the American Financial Group
American Financial Group
American Financial Group Incorporated is a holding company based in Cincinnati, Ohio whose primary business is insurance and investments. American Financial Group's purpose is to enable businesses and individuals to manage risk using insurance products and services tailored to meet their specific...
, a holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
which owns historic luxury hotels, including The Biltmore
Coral Gables Biltmore Hotel
The Coral Gables Biltmore Hotel is a luxury hotel in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. It was designed by Schultze and Weaver and was built in 1926 by John McEntee Bowman and George Merrick as part of the Biltmore hotel chain....
in Coral Gables
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Le Pavillon
Le Pavillon Hotel
The Le Pavillon Hotel is a luxury hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was originally named the Denechaud, then for generations was the De Soto Hotel.Le Pavillon was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1991....
in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, The Cincinnatian
Palace Hotel (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Palace Hotel is a registered historic building in Cincinnati, Ohio, listed in the National Register on March 3, 1980. It is currently known as the "Cincinnatian Hotel".- History :...
in Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina in Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
The Mountain View House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.