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POPLAR TAVERN North Newry, Maine The Bethel Journals
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Notice that the hotel’s promotional cards bid the guest to “Bring Rod, Racket and Gun to ..Poplar Hotel, North Newry, Me. Wallace W Kilgore was probably the manager when this card was printed. |
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Above: An overall layout of the hotel grounds. The Bethel to Upton road ran left to right between the main hotel and the gazebo—tennis court area in the foreground. A footbridge over Bear River, which at this point ran parallel to the road, allowed guests to easily cross the river. In the heyday of the Poplar Hotel, trout fishing in Bear River was more than satisfactory for any angler. |
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Photographs and all graphical material was presented courtesy of Doris Williamson Fraser. News and background information comes from Oxford County weekly newspapers, Newry Profiles—1805 to 1980, by Paula Wight, and The Bethel News.
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Donald G. Bennett www.thebetheljournals.info PO Box 763 Bethel, Maine 04217 |
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One hundred years before commercial ski areas appeared, fishing, hunting and relaxing in the mountains drew “sports” and city families to large ( for their time) remote western Maine mountain side, lake side and country village inns. One of these inns was the Poplar Hotel, renamed later to Poplar Tavern.
In 1980 after Paula Wight had combed through tax records and newspapers to compile a brief account of the old tavern’s history, which she called “one of Newry’s most notable landmarks”, this is what she found and wrote for the Newry Profiles 1805 to 1980.
POPLAR TAVERN 1854 TO 1980
“ The Maine Register for 1854 listed Ithiel’s (considered the 2d hotel in Newry built by Ithiel Smith) Tavern as ‘Popple Tree House’. It is noted as Ithiel Smith’s Hotel on the 1858 map. Charles Bartlett was being taxed for the property as late as 1873. It was Charles Bartlett who changed the name to “Poplar Hotel”. He operated the hotel for some 26 years prior to moving out of town. He died in 1916.
Sometime during the 1880’s a group of old guests got together and purchased the property and it was known as the Bear River Club House. In 1892 Scott A. Godwin was managing the house. In 1895 a Kilgore was manager, and additions were made at this time, including billiard and pool tables. In 1898, when first-class board was $2.25 per week, the old office and reception room were torn down and rebuilt. A year later the property was advertised for rent as being able to accommodate 65 guests, including tennis courts, billiard hall, livery stable. In 1900, Mr. and Mrs. Coburn of Bethel were running the hotel.
By 1901, W.W. (Wallace) Kilgore would be operating the hotel which was transferred to him by the Bear River Club. Wallace would change the name to “Poplar Tavern” and it was he who constructed cabins or cottages to supplement the hotel itself.
Under his management, the price rose to $12. per week.
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A 1901 promotional card that describes the Poplar Hotel as located at the foot of Mount Puzzle and its railroad station at Bethel. A summer home for Ladies and Gentlemen. Everything for the comfort and convenience of sportsmen and summer boarders. |
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Poplar Tavern, North Newry, Maine—after 1903. |