Another Old Time Story

Local story of the first mansion built on the St. Regis Reservation in 1920. Called Pines Inn. A hotel-bar located at the intersection of Highway Rte. 37 and the road to Helena. Established by two brothers from the farm country south of Watertown, NY, who had run a small roadside Restaurant Inn, which was a popular stopover for our native ironworkers en route to Utica, NY, to jobs. The owners decided to relocate to the reservation where they already knew the Native Ironworkers. So it was a no-brainer to relocate to Hogansburg and build a Bar/Hotel fit for Royalty. Which took almost one year to complete because of local protests by the Chiefs. But their friends who they met came to their rescue as loyal supporters for the construction plan. Eventually the place opened its doors and it quickly became a hangout for the locals, plus our white neighbors. The NY State Police were always parked along the closest driveway on Helena Road, to ensure everybody behaved like gentlemen and ladies.

The two original owners stayed for over 40 years, first the elder brother retired and said goodbye, a short time later the other brother also left and put the mansion up for sale. And surprise-surprise the highest bidder was a man who had plans to open a Funeral Home. What a conversion! Surely his great plan did not flourish and he closed shop after three years, and posted his own “For Sale” sign. A young couple and her mother made an offer and they became the new owners. Luckily they were local natives and returned the building to its former purpose as the famous Mansion Hotel/Bar.

1950 to the present

I remember the huge celebration from the local residents when the original bar opened in 1950.

The new owners must have been planning the purchase because the news was announced of the two country administrations were sponsoring the construction of the huge St. Lawrence Seaway River Project. Which was right in our neighborhood and the boom began for the next five years. That’s what I call good timing! The owners opened the mansion just in time for payday from the project employees – a mixture of all trades flooded the first open night. I was underage so – “no entry”. But I was told great stories a bit later from my buddies, which was almost like being there.

By the way I graduated from High School and was recruited by the local Ironworkers Union to get in as an apprentice for 1 to 2 years, along with other young friends with the same alternative. I start working as an apprentice for a short time, then go to join the “Boom Time”. Our pay was half the regular pay of the full-carded workers. But it was enough to purchase a used car after one year. As mentioned, the boom lasted five years, and we heard there was another major project in Niagara Falls to start in the New Year of 1960. So, we headed west to exercise our new trade with full pay and benefits. The local taverns soon felt the loss of business. Including the new owners of the Mansion.

Eventually, they sold the mansion to someone that had no love for the huge building and before the ink was dry on the transfer papers, they ordered a demolition contractor and down came the famous building and the trees that surrounded it, and paved the whole lot and installed gas pumps. Added a small building to one side and started the new gas station, as if the road called “gasoline Alley” needed another gas station. Sure enough the bright idea did not pan out, and has had changed ownership ever since and is currently closed.

Makes one wonder if the original owners did not jinx anyone that even thinks of changing the location from its primary intention?

FINI,

R.T.