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 What Is The Queens?

 THEN

The building at 142 Bridge Street has long been known as the Queen’s Hotel and for most of us was a place to go for a drink and a game of pool; karaoke and live music among the regular events. A lot has changed in our little town over the years and the Queen’s Hotel is no stranger to the adapting times.

The Queen’s Hotel began as the McIntosh House, built by Duncan McIntosh in 1870. It was much smaller than the large building that stands today but offered travellers a place to stay, a warm meal and a resting space for your horse. In 1882, Mrs. Mary J. Chatterton purchased the hotel and began a somewhat sordid career as a hotelier. 


It seems to be common knowledge of the time that Mrs. Chatterton ran her hotel from the alley beside and offered her guests all manners of comfort. An advertisement for Chatterton House stated, “the proprietress has spent a large portion of her time in catering to the wants of the travelling public and this house has become justly famous for its good cheer and pleasant associations.”

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Then - The Queens Hotel and Bar
Picture from Lanark County Genealogical Society.

At some point in the 1880s, Mrs. Chatterton sold the hotel to Albert Salter and he renovated the establishment, adding a brick exterior to the building, 2 additional floors and a wing. Things did not go as planned for Mr. Salter, who retired in 1900 with the sale of the hotel back to Mrs. Chatterton. She in turn, sold the hotel in the early 1900s to a Mr. Jas Steele, who again placed it up for sale in 1914. In 1917, the hotel was purchased by Dan Miller. 

 

Dan renovated and updated the building several times over his tenure, including after a “whirlwind” in August 1937, when the roof was torn off and deposited on Bridge Street. Rain from the storm caused damage to the interior of the building and needed extensive repairs. There was great damage to the town, ripped out trees, fences were blown over but the greatest structural damage was to the Queen’s Hotel. 


Dan Miller sold the business several times but it always came back to him and he eventually passed it to his son William ‘Bill’ Miller in 1955. Bill renovated the dining rooms and created two separate rooms; one for women and their escorts and second for men only. It was a truly luxurious atmosphere for the time and included the very height of quality design. 

 NOW
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Now - The Queens Crafters and Antique Market
Photo by Amber Peters on June 1st, 2020

Those rooms are still there today, although they have very different uses. The Gentleman’s room is now the General store and the greater dining room is full of antiques and crafts from a wide range of local sellers. The building as a whole is no longer a hotel but an apartment building with retail space on the ground floor. 

 

Dianna Lachepelle and Donna Carpenter, own and operate the Queen’s Crafters and Antique Market. They offer a space for local crafters and sellers to showcase their wares and residents to shop on the main street. It is no secret that big business has made an impact on our small town main street and they offer another local shopping option. When you have a walk through the shop, have a look at the features of the building, from the original floor to the stage in the corner, you can see the building transitions through the ages.

Articles and historical images provided by Kate Hurdis of the Lanark County Genealogical Society.

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