The three-story building on the corner of Academy and West Main Streets in Malone has stood vacant for several years now, but it has a history as a prosperous tavern and hotel, as well as a slightly seedy rooming house. It has been known alternately as the Hogle House, Cushman House, The City Hotel, Hill Crest Inn, Smith House, the Franklin Hotel Annex, The Tavern, the Tavern Arms, and Nikki's Place.
The Tavern, late 1930s
From the collection of the Franklin County Historical and Museum Society (1986.102)
click image to enlarge
Over the years, ancillary businesses have also been housed with the hotel, such as a
barber shop , billiard room,
bowling alley, and
livery stables. Additionally, it appears that on at least one occasion, a gambling parlor operated out of the hotel:
The building was
erected about 1866 by Canadian Hotelier
James L. Hogle and operated by him as the Hogle House until 1875, when Hogle sold it and opened the Elmwood House hotel on the corner of Main and Pearl Streets.
The hotel nearly constantly changed hands, almost always with name changes. In 1877, George H. Hogle was proprietor of the Hogle House. But beginning in
April 1885, George W. Cushman leased the hotel from George Hogle and renamed it the Cushman House.
Chisholm's lease was revoked in September 1889 when George Cushman, returning to Malone,
purchased the hotel from George Hogle and resumed management, reverting the business' name to Cushman House. Chisholm purchased the Elmwood House hotel (also from George Hogle) in
July 1889 upon receiving notice that his term as landlord of the City Hotel was nearing its end.
In March 1902, the firm of Ladd & Smallman (primarily a lumber and mill business) purchased Cushman House, with George Cushman continuing as manager.
Despite the optimism of the
Palladium's editors, by December 1903, Charles McCarthy was the proprietor and the hotel's name had changed to
Hill Crest Inn. Not two years later, Fred A. Smith owned the hotel and
changed its name to the Smith House.
Businessman F. Roy Kirk purchased the hotel around 1921 and changed its name to the Hotel Franklin Annex (or Franklin Hotel Annex or Franklin House Annex), and operated it as a rooming house in conjunction with the Franklin House Hotel (located where the W. Main St. Stewart's Shop currently stands).
After the sudden and early death of F. Roy Kirk, in October 1921 the hotel was sold again and renamed the Smith House.
It was leased and operated by Henry Badore from its new owner, local businessman
George Northridge (who had been associated at various times with the Malone Milling Co. and the Benware Broom Co., in addition to his own feed and produce firm of G.D. Northridge & Son and earlier real estate business). From June 1921-January 1922,
Troop B of NY State Police, newly located at Malone and in advance of the construction of their barracks, were housed at the Hotel.
After Northridge's death in 1923, it was purchased by Badore's brother Herbert and William Monaghan.
In 1927, the business again changed hands:
The Smith House found itself in the hands of an old friend again in 1935, when former hotel clerk and manager Henry Badore purchased the property as an investment, but with no intention of being involved in its daily operation again.
Under the ownership of Henry Badore and the management of W.E. Rodman, the hotel became known as "The Tavern."
