The Clifton House Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls: The Clifton House, c1890. Presumed one of a printing of multiple originals. Single sheet, printed on one side. Single sheet of hotel stationary. Format approximately 6 inches by 9.5 inches. FRAGILE. Scarce surviving ephemera from a historic building lost to fire in 1898. This has been folded in half and in half again Wear and tears at the creases. Some soiling on each side. The front side has ornately printed in the upper left corner The Clifton House Niagara Falls G. M. Colburn. Information from an 1882 document lists G. M. Colburn, presumably as owner or manager of the hotel from at least that time. On the top of the right side is a line for the date and 189 printed with space for the year to be added. On the other side, there are notes in pencil in one quadrant, which could be elements of a genealogy. Niagara Falls, the "Honeymoon Capital of the World" has had a long history as a tourist center. In 1801, Theodosia Burr (daughter of Aaron Burr) and Joseph Alston traveled here to marry and three years later Napoleon Bonaparte's younger brother Jerome married his fiance Elizabeth Patterson here. The War of 1812 paralyzed growth in the area while the U. S. and Canada battled at their borders, but soon after, resumed its resort image. Several hotels were established to accommodate travelers who came by buggies, boats and trains to enjoy the falls' beauty. Visitors were allowed for a time to walk out onto the river below the falls over a natural ice bridge which was formed from the spray mixed with the cold. The Clifton Hotels are considered to have been the grandest hotels that ever existed in Niagara Falls. The first Clifton Hotel was built in 1833 by Hermanus (Monty) Crysler in 1833. It was situated at Clifton Hill and River Road. It was a beautiful 60 room hotel which quickly became the most prominent hotel in Clifton. The hotel proved to be so popular that Crysler soon added a north wing along Ferry Road, forming a large "L" shaped structure, and bringing the total number of rooms to 150. It was purchased by Samuel Zimmerman in 1848 who operated it until his death in 1857. At this point it passed into the control of Senator John T. Bush. Although Bush never operated the hotel himself, he leased out the management of the property for a number of years. In 1869, Bromley Shears was recorded as being the owner of the hotel. Trains brought hundreds of visitors to Niagara Falls daily, and buggies from the Clifton Hotel met all first class trains. For those who could afford it, the Clifton was the hotel of choice, and guests at the Clifton Hotel often included the rich and famous. In 1851, the Swedish singer, Jenny Lind, stayed at the Clifton Hotel for three months, and was often seen singing from its balconies. When the Prince of Wales visited the area for five days in September, 1860, the Clifton Hotel was one of his stops, and it is said that he watched Charles Blondin cross the Gorge on a tight-rope from the colonnades of the hotel. In 1864, the Clifton Hotel was the site of an unsuccessful peace conference to end the U.S. Civil War. Indeed, until 1898, the Clifton Hotel enjoyed a pre-eminent position, and attracted visitors from all over the world. On the morning of June 25, 1898, a fire started in the chimney of the boiler room near the roof of the Clifton Hotel. Although fire-fighters fought valiantly, low water pressure hampered their efforts, and the fire soon engulfed the entire structure. When it became apparent that the fire could not be contained, the hotel's furnishings, silverware and china were removed to Queen Victoria Park. The salvaged contents of the hotel were sold by auction later that summer. Many spectators flocked to the area to watch the blaze, and some of them emptied the well-stocked larder and wine cellar of the hotel and dispensed food and drink to the rest of the crowd. The fire burned for the remainder of the day, and by nightfall, the Clifton Hotel was completely destroyed; the charred stone walls were all that remained of the once-grand hotel. Plans were made to immediately rebuild, but these plans fell through, and as a result, the ruins of the first Clifton Hotel were not cleared away until 1905. At that time, a decision was made to build a second Clifton Hotel. This Clifton Hotel was built in 1906 at nearly the same location as the first Clifton had been. Constructed of cut limestone, the hotel was a large "L" shaped structure which fronted on Clifton Hill and River Road. With 270 rooms, it was larger than the original Clifton, and advertisements often boasted that the Clifton Hotel "had no superior in the world." Its amenities included phones, an electric elevator, hot and cold running water, and electric light and heating, as well as elegant parlours and writing rooms, a magnificent ballroom, and a dining room capable of seating 600 people. The new hotel opened in July, 1906, and the total cost of the rebuilding was estimated at $500,000. Like its predecessor, this Clifton was, for a time, the most important hotel in Niagara. It attracted the most influential guests such as King George V and Queen Mary (then Prince and Princess of Wales), and King Albert and Queen Elizabeth of Belgium. As well, it was often the scene of brilliant parties, balls, and other such social gatherings. Condition: Fair.

Keywords: Niagara Falls, Clifton Hotel, Clifton House, G. M. Colburn, Ephemera, Hotel Stationery, Tourism, Honeymoon, Historic Site

[Book #81865]

Price: $45.00

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