The 1911 photograph accompanying this week’s column shows a much different Lake Street than today’s busy boulevard.
A beautiful grove of trees, almost park-like in the shade of their leaf cover, stands where today is a carwash operation. Gone is the hotel originally called the Racket Pond House, an appropriate name since it overlooked Racket Pond (or Raquette or Racquette). The handsome homes that stood adjacent west of the former hotel, however (other than the William McCarthy home that was recently razed), have survived and are still today well kept and attractive.
Mr. Bujold, who ran the hotel for 21 years, sold it in 1945 to George Donaldson. Mr. Donaldson and his wife, the former Madeline Paye of this village, operated it for two years.
Lawrence Rafferty then bought the property, held it only a few months, and sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Richer in 1947. It was recently razed in the late 1980s to facilitate the Day Wholesale operation. What follows is from an Old Timer Column that appeared in the Tupper Lake Free Press on Dec. 26, 1935:
In the fall of 1889 – 46 years ago – the first “hotel” was erected in Tupper Lake. It was named the “Racket Pond House” and was a somewhat primitive structure intended as a boarding house for railroad men and employees on the Northern Adirondack Railway (now the New York and Ottawa division of the N.Y. Central), then under construction from Moira on the old Ogdensburg and Lake Champlain R.R. through the woods to Tupper Lake.
The line terminated at a point near what is now the site of the O.W.D plant. In 1890 the station was erected at Tupper Lake and the line extended to that terminal.
At that point of early history, here, John Hurd, promoter and pioneer lumberman, had a large force of men erecting the “Big Mill.” Employees from the mill and the railroad kept the hotel well filled with boarders and transients and the place was taxed to capacity to take care of all.
Nelson Parks of Dickinson Center, who had been conducting for Mr. Hurd a boarding house at Santa Clara, was appointed manager of the Racket Pond House, which position he held for several years until the property was acquired by the Export Lumber Company of Albany, which firm operated the large saw mill and erected a row of houses extending from the hotel property along Lake Street to the corner of Mill Street.
The row of houses is today – after rebuilding and modern improvements – one of the most desirable residential sections of the village and includes the following property owners: William W. McCarthy, Thomas Creighton, Chas. O’Hara, Isaac Boudage, John Timmons and Supervisor Paul E. Martin.
It is a matter of history that the first time the dining room tables were set up in the Racket Pond House, Mrs. Nelson Parks was assisted by Mrs. Henry Bruce, a school-girl companion of the early days.
Thirty-five years ago – in 1900 – Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bruce (both since deceased) bought the hotel and the name was changed to the “American House” by which it is still known throughout the North Country.
From 1907 until 1925 the deed and mortgage right remained in the hands of the Bruce estate and subsequent heirs until it was purchased by George Bushey, well known lumberman from the Harrisville – Cranberry Lake region, now a prominent business man of Tupper Lake in company with Charles Fletcher.
During the 18-year interval above mentioned, the hotel was successively tentatively owned or leased by the following men:
William Shells, Joseph Corneau (since deceased), Frank J. Wood, who later founded the Wood Laundry plant in High Street, John Cowett, former proprietor of the “Corn-Eta” Lunch in the Holland House and now a restaurant owner in New England.
After Mr. Bushey bought the hotel he operated it for one year and then leased it to Alex Bujold for two years, who bought the property outright in 1927.
Since the sale of the hotel to Mr. Bujold, the continued improvements, enlarging and modern features have changed the old time structure to such an extent that it is worthy of more than passing comment.
For the past month a force of men under Harry Villnave has been erecting an addition to the dining hall, planned to have a seating capacity of 200 persons.
Fronting the dining hall there will be a large lounging room with a bay-window facing the street.
The cuisine and storage rooms will be moved back and greatly enlarged.
The house is being remodeled from top to cellar and there will be 37 rooms with baths and showers on two floors.
Mr. Bujold came to the U.S. in 1902 from St. Charles de Chalon, Canada, as a mere lad. In the World War he served with the A.E.F. and became a citizen of the United States when the war ended.
His brother, Edmond Bujold, paid the “supreme sacrifice” in action in France, and Edmond Bujold Post 3120 Veterans of Foreign Wars is named in his honor.
Mrs. Rose Bujold, who has been a valuable aid to her husband in hotel management, is a Canadian by birth but is a naturalized citizen of the U.S.A.
She came to the States as a child of seven years with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Santerre, who were among the early settlers in this section.