large picture of the outside of the Inn
EXPERIENCE A STEP BACK IN TIME
Image © Dave Trautman

black and white picture of ladies admiring the river

The Following is a brief history of the early days of the Inn.


By 1919 Steward Steven's had built a large, impressive home on his new property. It was sometimes referred to as a hunting and fishing lodge. Steven's love of space and his desire to have accommodations for his hunting and fishing companions from the United States must have been instrumental in building this house with a total floor area over 4,000 square feet.

Every Sunday afternoon, the family visited the farm where Steven's ,  was surrounded by his hunting dogs.  The kitchen, the largest room in the house, covering some 1000 square feet, was the site of most of the entertainment. Meal times seen Steven's seated at the head of a lengthy built-in kitchen table. the hired help would be seated down one side thus leaving room for the guests to sit on the opposite site.  Many wonderful meals were served. If it were springtime fresh salmon and egg sauce would be on the menu. From the Nictaux River, only 200 yards from the house, a typical morning catch would be 5 or 6 large salmon. In the corner opposite the kitchen dining area were the rocking chairs and a couch; a perfect place for an afternoon snooze. Close by, the swinging door to the spacious pantry was always in motion with plentiful amounts of food going in and out.  An area adjacent to the outside door was for hired help to "wash up". Not far away was a built in gun cupboard.

The house was so spacious! The huge halls, both upstairs and downstairs had a fireplace. American sportsmen arrived each year at the lodge to fish and hunt. They paid $100 /day for this privilege. The story is that when visitors first came they brought their own food and dogs, but soon realized that the lodge provided excellent food, and all the dogs they needed. 

Mr. Steven's developed pernicious anemia, and in due course was confined to a wheelchair. In 1939. the lodge was sold to Max M. Nafthal, and immigrant from Memel, Lithuania, for the sum of $12,500.

In 1974, the original property was purchased by John and Fred Roch, and became known as Oakhurst Farms.

In 1994, Dianne Hankinson-LeGard and her family purchased the property and transformed it into the Falcourt Inn.
 

  History of the Inn taken from the book, 
Echoes Across the Valley, A History of Kingston and its Neighbors

Black and white picture of the original owners of the Inn
Max M. Nafthal and his family (cc. 1943), enjoying the view from the deck of the Falcourt Inn

More pages of our photo album
 

Amenities and rooms | Directions | Fine Dining |
The Four Seasons at the Inn | Guest book entries  | Local Attractions | History of the Inn |
Awards and Recognition's | Dinner Cabaret EveningsSpecials



© Falcourt Inn
all rights reserved
Please contact our webmaster with questions or comments about this site.