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The Glen House

History

Historic image of Glen with people and horses on the front lawn

History of the Glen House

In the early 1850's, John Bellows converted a farmhouse into an inn to provide accommodations for the increase in visitors to Pinkham Notch as a result of the newly completed Grand Trunk Railway. The Grand Trunk Railway connected Portland, Maine to Montreal, Canada via Gorham, NH. He soon sold his inn to Col. J.M. Thompson, who renamed it, The Glen House. Thompson made many improvements and small additions as seen in the above image.

In addition to improving the road from Gorham to “The Glen”, the railroad also financed construction of a bridle trail to the summit of Mt. Washington that Col. Thompson managed from the Glen House.  With the bridle trail as an important side business, Col. Thompson was not at all pleased to hear of a group of entrepreneurs planning to build a carriage road to the summit of Mt. Washington from the Glen. However, before construction had reached the summit, he had become one of the most ardent supporters, even claiming the honor of driving the first horse drawn carriage to the summit weeks before the official opening on August 8, 1861.

Historic image of the Glen House tennis courts

The Milliken Brothers

By the late 1860's, the Milliken brothers had purchased The Glen House upon the untimely death of Col. J.M. Thompson. When fire destroyed this first Glen House in 1884, the Milliken brothers immediately engaged well-known architect Francis H. Fassett, and over several years created what is shown above. Ultimately, that hotel was devastated by fire again in 1893. Although not rebuilt at that time, the Libby family of Gorham, NH soon acquired the property. The Libby's converted what was the servant's quarters of the second Glen House into a 40-room hotel that was in use from 1901 to 1924.

A fourth, and even smaller Glen House was operated from 1925 until 1967.

Stage office Mt. Washington Auto Road

The Mt. Washington Auto Road Opens

A ride to the top of Mt. Washington from the Glen House on a horse drawn carriage was a unique, all-day adventure in those early days. The views, the changing weather and environment were all considered amazing for those times – and still are.  Gradually, as forms of transportation changed and with no formal name change, what had been known as the Carriage Road, became the Auto Road.  As late as the 1970s, old timers were still referring to it as, “the Carriage Road”.

Modern Mountain Retreat with Historic Charm & Summit Views

The fifth iteration of The Glen House features 68-rooms and was built on the west side of Route 16 in Green's Grant. Aesthetically, the hotel gives a nod to its predecessors who date back to the late 1800's.

The hotel features an indoor, heated, saltwater pool and full-service restaurant, The Notch Grille. Half of the rooms feature balconies facing the highest summit in the Northeast.