Downtown 1890 — Mansion House

The new Mansion House hotel on South Street held its grand opening on Sept. 15, 1890.

“H.R. Katham, the lessee of the house, served a beautiful collation in the dining room, which was heartily enjoyed by a large number of callers, while on the porch in front of the hotel St. Mary’s band of twenty pieces discoursed excellent music during the evening,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported the next morning.

The new three-story hotel had 30 “well-ventilated and pleasant” sleeping rooms, hot and cold running water and steam heat.

“Mr. Katham will conduct his hotel in a first-class manner.”

In other 1890 downtown Glens Falls news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• St. Mary’s Band made the rounds serenading shoppers and prominent residents prior to Rochester Clothing Co.’s reception in honor of the band at the Collins House hotel.

“Between seven and eight o’clock last evening, St. Mary’s Band discoursed several pleasing selections in front of the Rochester Clothing Co. store,” The Morning Star reported on Oct. 3.

From there, the bands made the rounds to the homes of the village president and village trustees, serenadang each official in turn.

The reception was held from 8 to 10 p.m., with a banquet at 11 p.m.

The menu included sliced tomatoes, olives, celery, pickled beets, sardines, plain lobsters and oyster stew.

The next course included chicken salad, lobster salad, cold chicken, lamb, ox tongue, and pressed corn beef.

Desert was vanilla ice cream, assorted cakes, Adam cheese, assorted nuts, French coffee, apples, raisins, grapes and bananas.

Captain J.S. Garett proposed a toast: “St. Mary’s Band — May their melody increase, and their well-earned laurels rest upon them.”

• “C.R. Mott broke ground yesterday on the Arnold lot, Maple Street, for a feed and grain store,” The Morning Star reported on Sept. 24. “He will run a sidetrack from the railroad to his storeroom.”
• G.F. Bayle hired “well-known dressmaker” Susie McNamera to work in the cloak department at The Boston Store, The Morning Star reported on Sept. 25, 1890.
• Explorer Henry Stanley’s book “In Darkest Africa” was selling well in Glens Falls, The Morning Star reported on Sept. 28.

About 20 people from Glens Falls attended Stanley’s lecture at Harmann’s Bleecker Hall at Albany, The Morning Star reported on Dec. 3.

• It was a reminder that winter would soon be here.

“The police have received their new winter coats which were ordered of the Rochester Clothing Co.,” The Morning Star reported on Oct. 3.

• “A fine oil painting of Bloody Pond as seen when the foliage is in all of its autumn glory of color is attracting much attention in the show window of Thompson & Floyd. Mrs. J. R. Bain is the artist,” The Morning Star reported on Oct. 15.
• You probably won’t find this on the menu at a downtown Glens Falls restaurant these days.

“A large party of invited guests took a palatable squirrel supper at the Exchange Hotel last evening,” The Morning Star reported on Oct. 17

• The Elks Lodge was going to be warm for the winter.

“A handsome ‘Art Andes’ Stove has just been set up in the parlors of the local lodge of Elks, adding materially to the appearance and comfort of the horned fraternity.” The Morning Star reported on Oct. 17

Click here to read the most recent previous downtown Glens Falls history post.