Aquedoktan Hotel
Although the spelling of the name of the original Indian village at Weirs Beach has now been standardized as “Aquedoctan”, the hotel, built in 1886, used a “K” instead of a “C” in the spelling of its name.
Below, an 1890’s brochure. The interior describes the Weirs and the hotel’s facilities, amenities, and rates; the rear cover notes distances to various places of interest via carriage drive, rail, or on Lake Winnipesaukee. A few excerpts: “Second to none in New England in which to spend one’s vacation…Lovers of piscatorial sport will find excellent fishing near at hand. Boating, either by rowing, sailing, or steamer, can be indulged in to the fullest extent…. The house is very favorably situated but a short distance from the depot and boat-landing, being connected with them by a plank walk…. Two hundred feet of piazzas extend around the house, affording ample shade at all hours of the day. The table is supplied with fresh vegetables and dairy products from the farm connected with the place…. June and September (the pleasantest months of the year)–$1.00 per day, $6.00 per week. July and August, $1.50 to $2.00 per day, $7.00 to $12.00 per week, according to rooms and number of occupants….”
The graphic used in the above brochure, as it appeared in the 1886 edition of the “Weirs Record and Christian Worker” newspaper. A stagecoach is parked outside the right steps, while an open carriage departs with passengers upon the main road. Heath and Brown were the original proprietors, with Heath soon replaced by Dennett.
A blue, cyanotype postcard of the Aquedoktan.
The Pleasant View
In the 1910’s the hotel was renamed the Pleasant View. The following postcard was postmarked in 1918.
The Pleasant View in the 1920’s.
The Pleasant View in the 1930’s-40’s. A more pleasant appearance, with the added canopies and flower boxes.
A few pages from a Pleasant View brochure, and a 1930’s postcard.
The Park View
In 1947, the hotel was renamed the Park View. A separate building with motel rooms was added in the rear of the structure. The new sign over the front door advertised its Cocktail Lounge. This was perhaps the beginning of the establishment’s transformation from a hotel to a restaurant and bar. While in later years, rooms were still available upstairs, the main business became the sale of alcohol.
The Eden Roc
In the late 1950’s, the hotel was renamed the Eden Roc.
The Dragon Villa
On June 12, 1973, the Dragon Villa, a Chinese restaurant, opened on the first floor of the hotel. The hotel took on the name of the restaurant. No photos are available of the Dragon Villa.
The Sandbar Beach Resort – Weirs Beach Smokehouse – Wide Open Saloon
In the late 1980’s, the hotel was renamed the Sand Bar Beach Resort. It was at this time that extensive renovations occurred that drastically altered the look of the building, as seen in the following photo. In 1996, the hotel was renamed the Weirs Beach Smokehouse. In 2010, the hotel was renamed the Wide Open Saloon. It operated for one summer season under the new name. On Friday, September 17, 2010, the hotel was destroyed by fire. Due to a legal battle between the owners and the City of Laconia, the hotel remained standing for two years after the fire, until it was finally taken down in the fall of 2012. The photo below was taken in May, 2012, a few months before demolition.
The Sand Bar Beach Resort
The Wide Open Saloon, after the fire.
There is now a paved parking lot at this location. The lot is owned by Winni Marine, which uses the lot to display boats for sale during the summer season, and for vending and/or parking during Motorcycle Week. The below photo of the parking lot was taken during bike week on June 18, 2017, whilst it was serving as the Harley-Davidson HQ for the rally.
