Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Merrill House

Pages from one of the three hotel registers from the Merrill House on Upper Chateaugay Lake in the collection of the Franklin County Historical & Museum Society (1976.310.1)

Note the patrons from both the North Country and far-flung, exotic locales... like Newark, N.J.
July 17 &25, 1890:

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August 9, 1899:

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August 22, 1905 (in two parts):


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Merrill House was first opened by Darius Merrill, namesake of the hamlet of Merrill, just over the line into Clinton County.  Oliver Young acquired the hotel from Darius' son Shepherd, and expanded the hotel and added several ancillary businesses such as a telegraph office.  His daughter Marjorie ran the hotel from 1933-1963.   According to an 1889 travel guide, "Descriptive Guide to the Adirondacks" a night's stay at the Merrill House cost $2.00 and a week's lodging was between $10 and $15.  A meal could be had for $.75.  A reprint of Marjorie Young Reilly's account of the history of the hotel can be found here.

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