East Branch House - Intervale, NH

We recently received the following inquiry from our website:
If YOU have additional information both your Historical Society and the Henry Ford Museum would be interested in your input.

Hello,

I work for the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. In our collection is a Concord coach made in 1891 for the Pitman brothers, who owned the East Branch House hotel in Lower Bartlett. Do you have any images (or information) in your collection of this hotel or coach?

Whatever information you can supply will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Jeanine Miller
Curator

The material for this page was taken from "The Latchstring Was Always Out" by Aileen M. Carroll - Published by Peter E. Randall for The Bartlett Public Library 1994

Concord Stagecoach
One of the most significant horse-drawn vehicles developed in America is the famous Concord coach, first built in the late 1820s in Concord, New Hampshire. The sturdy suspension system was well suited to travel on rugged terrain. Its strength, durability and comfort established the company's reputation and the vehicles were shipped to all parts of the U.S. and abroad with an average price of $1000.

Just over the bridge spanning the East Branch was the East Branch House. It was established about 1870 and was substantially larger than the other Intervale Hotels with a capacity of 125. Its rates were comparable to its rivals at $7. to $10.50 per week. Its guests could actually hear the sound of the stream from their bedroom windows.

Its owners were two brothers, William and Winthrop M. Pitman, great grandsons of Joseph and Alice (Pendexter) Pitman. Having grown-up in Intervale they were no strangers to the Hotel business as many of their ancestors and relatives were also Innkeepers in the Intervale area. The Pitman name was evident in Bartlett's history from the very beginning. The Hotel they built and operated was a great success with a loyal following.

In 1898 the hotel burned in what was described as an awesome spectacle to those viewing it.

There is more information on the Intervale Hotels and the various generations of Pitman's in the book cited at the top of this page, "The Latchstring Was Always Out".