Lakeside House Gallery
A gallery of Lakeside House postcards
In this postcard, postmarked 1925, the triple set of railroad tracks which ran right in front of the Lakeside House have mysteriously disappeared. The Lakeside House looks like it is set on a bucolic country lane, instead of in the heart of bustling early 1920s Weirs Beach. The artists of that time clearly were very skillful at retouching photographs; they didn’t need Photoshop to get the job done! (Although they should have been a little more careful with their use of color – the Lakeside House was light yellow, not light green!)
Once again, as noted in the caption for the previous postcard, the photo has been retouched to make the railroad tracks in front of the hotel disappear. This particular postcard is unique because it is the only color postcard that shows the 1917 steel truss pedestrian bridge across the railroad tracks to the hotel.
George W. Weeks
An article about George W. Weeks from the 1899 Illustrated Laconian
A 1904 postcard superimposes Mr. Weeks’ image over a photo of the Hotel.
Another version of the postcard of Mr. Weeks; this one was postmarked in 1905. The original hotel photo is below.
A check signed by Weeks shows his very florid signature
Week’s business card
Obituary of Mrs. Weeks
Lakeside House Advertising
The illustration below can best be viewed at the Lake Winnipesaukee Historical Society museum, where an enlarged version in COLOR hangs on the wall. The black and white illustration is from the 1892 Town & City Atlas of New Hampshire, published in Boston by D.H.Hurd & Co. The color version was hand painted in oil by Ian Raymond Photography of Laconia, and appeared on the cover of the Weirs Times July 8, 1993 issue.
Variety Store & Casino: Tarlson’s Variety Store was located on Lakeside Avenue, approximately where today’s “The Fancy” (previously the Crazy Gringo/Rita’s/Nothin’ Fancy) restaurant is. From 1880 until 1917, to reach the Lakeside House from Lakeside Avenue, customers descended a stairway, then crossed over the railroad tracks (not drawn in), and ascended another stairway to the front lawn of the Lakeside House. In 1917 a steel truss bridge, which connected directly to the porch of the hotel, was built over the railroad tracks, about 30 feet north of the stairways. Profile Rock: Was located on Doe Point, location of former “Shore Path” – no longer accessible as private homeowners have blocked access. The Avenue: The view looking North on what is now Weeks Street. Notice the “Lakeside Cafe” to the right of the Hotel. Depot Looking South: Shows the 2nd railroad station and the NH Veterans Association HQ. Main Illustration: The illustration shows the Pine Grove on the front lawn, which remained until the Hurricane of 1938. The old steamer Mount Washington passes by far out on the Lake.
An advertising card from 1881 or 1882. As telephone service in Weirs Beach began in 1881, and L.R. Weeks died in late 1882, this card can be precisely dated. Similar in size to a postcard, but not a postcard, as private postcards were not legal until 1898. The card was actually salmon colored.
The graphic from the previous card reappeared in the 1886 edition of the “Weirs Record and Christian Worker” newspaper. The caption noted that a Livery and Boarding Stable were connected, and that the hotel was open from June 1 to October 1. The engraving shows a water fountain out front of the hotel, but a water fountain is not in evidence in any other known graphic of the hotel.
An advertising card, copyright 1882, notes that “This House is nearly new.”
Lakeside House folding card
Stereoview Cards
This 1897 photo clearly shows the rearward extension of the main building which was torn down when the Lakeside Hotel was redeveloped into the Winnipesaukee Marketplace in 1987. This photo also clearly shows the stairway that desecended to the railroad tracks (the tracks are not visible in the photo), crossed the railroad tracks, and then ascended on the opposite bank to Lakeside Avenue. The stairway was later replaced in 1917 by a steel truss pedestrian footbridge over the railroad tracks that connected directly to the side porch of the building (where the Lakeside sign is showing in the photo).
A similar photo, from a stereoview by A.W. Shackford
A stereoview of the Lakeside House by Moulton
Detail of the porch. Notice the fancy scroll work on the upper post fans.
A close up of a fan
Moulton also produced a cabinet card using the previous photograph. The cabinet card showed more of the pine shaded front lawn than in the stereoview.
A detail from the above card shows the crowd on the porch
Another cabinet card by Moulton, showing a view of the east side of the Lakeside House, looking across an unpaved Weeks Street, little more than a path at this time.
A carriage drops off passengers in the small circular driveway.
Below is the earliest available photo of the Lakeside House. The photo dates from the 1870’s. From a stereoview by B.F. Foster titled “Lakeside House, B.C.&M. R.R., Depot and Landing”. This was number three in a series of nine”Artistic Stereos” of the “Winnipesaukee Camp Ground & Vicinity in Weirs, New Hampshire”. The photo is very interesting in several respects. In the foreground left, we see a very modest 2 story building – the original Lakeside House. The main, 3 1/2 story hotel had still not been built! (Nor had the 2 1/2 story building connecting the two.) In the far distance, the depot – the original BC&M railroad station – is seen still standing, with a steam train stopped right in front of it. (The ornate second train station would be built in 1880, the same year as the main hotel.) We see that the boardwalk did not end where it does today, but continued alongside the East side of the railroad tracks all the way alongside the hotel property. Finally, we see that there were not one, but two stairways to the hotel. The distant stairway crosses the railroad tracks from the opposite bank. This stairway can be partially seen in many of the above views of the hotel. The foreground stairway ascends the embankment from the end of the boardwalk, passing through an arch to the rear entrance to the hotel.
Lakeside House Brochure #1
The Lakeside House
Situated at Weirs Landing, on the western shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, will open as usual June 1.
The Lakeside has three times been enlarged in order to accommodate the steadily increasing patronage. Many new improvements have been recently added; the house is now provided with electric bells, and the new sanitary arrangements are simply perfect. Indeed, the house with all its appointments is admirably adapted to the wants and comforts of its first-class patrons. The table has the well earned reputation of being unsurpassable. Note the least in its attractiveness is the pure spring-water, which is boutifully supplied from a living spring located on Doe’s mountain. Hotel and cottages will now easily accommodate two hundred guests. Cottages all located close by, well furnished, and considered very desirable for familes or parties, with meals at the hotel.
The veranda, always noted for its comfort, extends around three sides of the house, and is four hundred feet in length. One can always find either sunshine or shade at any hour of the day. A beautiful grove of pine, directly in front of the house, is both health giving and delightful. Ample pleasure grounds adjacent, well shaded. A Casino contains piano, pool and billiard tables.
Postoffice, telegraph, and telephone, also express office and news-stand, within one minute’s walk.
Rates of Board:
June and September…$7.00 to $9.00 per week
July and August…$8.00 to $17.50 per week.
According to room and number of occupants. Special rates for the season.
By Rail
Lakeport – 4 miles
Laconia – 6 miles
Tilton – 16 miles
Concord – 34 miles
Meredith – 4 miles
Plymouth – 17 miles
Warren – 38 miles
Littleton – 79 miles
Webmaster’s notes: Profile Rock was located on the Shore Path in the Methodist Campground at Weirs Beach. Follet’s Hill was located in or near Gilford. The following excerpt is from Sweetser’s The White Mountains, published in 1876. It is unknown where Hackett’s Rock was located.
Lakeside Jottings
No dampness or malaria near the LAKESIDE.
Cool breezes always singing through the pines free of charge for LAKESIDE guests.
Mosquitoes unknown at LAKESIDE HOUSE.
LAKESIDE HOUSE nearest the lake, only one minute’s walk from the shore.
Pure, living spring-water can but invigorate guests at the LAKESIDE.
Plank walk connects depot, steamboat-landing, music-hall, church, postoffice, etc., with the LAKESIDE HOUSE.
Special rates and extra attention to June and September guests at the LAKESIDE.
About the Weirs
Walks
Tower Hill
Brickyard Mountain
Profile Rock
Endicott Rock
Governor’s Island
Interlaken Park
Carriage Drives
Beaches – 2 miles
Intervale – 4 miles
Follett’s Hill – 5 miles
Gilford Village – 6 miles
Laconia – 6 miles
Belknap Mountain – 8 miles
Canterbury Shakers – 18 miles
Lake Shore Park – 7 miles
On the Lake
Lakeport- 4 miles
Wolfeborough – 16 miles
Centre Harbor – 8 miles
Long Island – 7 miles
Stonedam Island – 2 miles
Meredith Village – 4 miles
Bear Island – 6 miles
Ossipee Park – 19 miles
Governor’s Island – 2 miles
Pendleton’s Shore – 1 mile
Cow Island – 6 miles
Hackett’s Rock – 1 mile
Lakeside House Brochure #2
The Lakeside Cafe
The first two photos below are identical. In the colorized postcard, the artist removed the utility pole and added the wording Lakeside Cafe to the building behind the people. The black and white postcard was mailed in 1910.
Sanborn Insurance Map
A detail from the 1923 Sanborn Fire Insurance map of Weirs Beach shows the building layout of the property. The heights of the various buildings, in stories, are detailed on the map. The main building was 3 1/2 stories high.
The Lakeside
Previsaging its later name change to the Lakeside Hotel, this 1930’s advertisement dubs its subject matter not the Lakeside House, but simply, “The Lakeside”. The same photo was used for a postcard.
A steam train heads out of Weirs Beach. Lakeside House on right, wooden bridge straight ahead.
