Winthrop Hotels

"Convenient and Accessible. On the North Shore, commanding a magnficient of Harbor. Fine bathing and boating. New garage. Four miles from Boston by rail, 15 minutes' service, 10 miles by boulevard. Sun parlors, lawns, fine shade trees, outdoor salt-water swimming pool reserved for guests, tennis courts, new Court Golf, grand views of harbor islands and all marine activity. Yachting and boating facilities. Excellent orchestra. Table plentifully supplied with fresh vegetables, fish and fruit. The preparation and serving of sea food a specialty. Write booklet and rates to William W. Gates, Managing Director."

Orlando Belcher (1844-1923) was an entrepreneur in the shoe industry and also a real estate developer in Winthrop. In the early 1870’s he began buying land in the Cottage Park area of Winthrop. In 1887 he purchased the Bartlett Estate and rebuilt the structure doubling its size and converting it to a hotel. The Cottage Park Hotel, and a number of cottages nearby, were a popular summer resort location in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. After World War I, Belcher retired and sold his property. Business declined and eventually the hotel was raised and the land subdivided. Several of the original cottages still exist.

""Winthrop Point, Winthrop Centre. Now Open. Reduced rates for June and September. 100 feet from water and in view of all islands and shipping in harbor. 20 nminutes to Boston, with 5-cent fare. 1 minute from Winthrop golf and ball grounds. Stable, telephone, 4000 feet piazza, electric lights, open fireplaces, etc. Special price for long season. For leaflet, with cut of house and all particulars, apply to L. S. Farnsworth, Proprietor, or call and see the coolest, finest spot on North Shore."

""One hundred or more dancing masters from many Eastern cities are in convention at Crest Hall, Winthrop today. It is the twenty-third annual session of the organization know as the American National Association Masters of Dancing, and Oscar Duryea, the president, occupied the chair when the business session was called to order this morning. A number of topics related to grace, deportment and stage and fancy dancing will be taken up during the convention, whihc will last throughout the week."

""One life was lost is the fire which burned two hotels, a hotel annex and six cottages, and caused a lost of about $200,000 at Winthrop Beach last night. Besides the cottages destroyed, several were damaged. Acting Chief Jeremiah C. Blake of the town police said at 3 P.M. that the search had been made all about town and no trace of the missing woman, Mrs. Henry Dumont of Albany N.Y., had been found... The buildings destroyed or damaged... were as follows: Crest Hall Hotel, Ocean View Hotel..."

Built by Fred Hall in 1901