Wentworth by the Sea facts for kids
The Wentworth is a beautiful old resort hotel in New Castle, New Hampshire, USA. It is known today as "Wentworth by the Sea, A Marriott Hotel & Spa." This historic hotel is managed by Ocean Properties. It is one of the few grand hotels from the Gilded Age that still exist in New Hampshire. It is also the last one located right on the coast.
Wentworth by the Sea is part of Historic Hotels of America. This is a special program run by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
History of the Wentworth Hotel
The Wentworth hotel was built in 1874. It was created by Daniel Chase, who was a distiller from Somerville, Massachusetts. For its first two years, the hotel was called Wentworth Hall. In 1879, Frank Jones bought the hotel. He made it much bigger, adding to it in the Second Empire style. After Jones passed away, the hotel was sold in 1902.
In 1905, the Wentworth hotel played a very important role in world history. It hosted the Russian and Japanese groups who were working to end the Russo-Japanese War. This war was a big conflict between Russia and Japan. U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt suggested these peace talks. He later won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to make peace.
Both groups stayed at the hotel for free. Frank Jones's will said that his executor, Judge Calvin Page, should offer this hospitality. The final peace document was signed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. However, the last words of the treaty were written at The Wentworth. Also, the agreement to stop fighting was signed there. The Japanese even held a special "International Love Fest" at the hotel to celebrate the signing.
After several different owners, Harry Beckwith bought the hotel in 1920. He managed it for 25 years. In 1946, Margaret and James Barker Smith bought it for $200,000. On July 4, 1964, Emerson and Jane Reed made history. They were the first African-American people to eat at the hotel's restaurant. Before this, the hotel had a policy that kept people of different races separate.
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Over time, the hotel faced difficulties and changed owners often. It finally closed its doors in 1982. A local group called "Friends of the Wentworth" tried to save the hotel. But they could not find enough support. In 1995, Alan Green, whose company owned the hotel, announced it would be torn down.
People started paying more attention to the old Victorian hotel's problems. It was put on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of America's Most Endangered Places. The next year, the History Channel also featured it on America's Most Endangered. This attention helped delay the demolition. It gave enough time to find a new buyer.
In 1997, Ocean Properties bought the hotel. This company manages hotels and is based in Portsmouth. The hotel was then completely renovated. It reopened in 2003 and is now run by Ocean Properties as a Marriott resort. The Wentworth by the Sea is still a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Historic Hotels of America.
Other Features of the Wentworth
The Wentworth by the Sea Country Club is now a separate place. It has a golf course that was first designed in 1897 by George Wright. Donald Ross made it bigger in 1921. Then, Geoffrey Cornish expanded it to 18 holes in 1964. The Wentworth Marina is also run separately. It welcomes guests staying at the Wentworth hotel.
When the hotel was empty and looked sad, it was used for a movie. It was a haunted setting for the 1999 film, In Dreams. The movie starred Robert Downey, Jr. and Annette Bening.
See also
In Spanish: Wentworth by the Sea para niños
