The Hidden Inn, like much of the region that surrounds it, has a long and colorful history. The land and property changed hands many, many times and while we have been unable to find every tidbit of information, resulting in some confusion, we have been able to unearth much of the interesting benchmarks relating to the property, referred to as the “Old Inn lot” from 1892 forward.
On December 22, 1892, the land upon which the Hidden Inn sits was transferred from Ezra H. Hait to Albert T. Ryer – one acre, hereafter referred to as the “old inn lot” (Parcel I).
Albert Ryer was born in Stamford on July 3, 1850, and married Mary A. Bush of Hobart on December 26, 1877.
In the middle of 1893, just months after purchasing the land, the Hidden Inn was built, and was managed, by Albert Ryer as the Ryer’s Hotel. As this newspaper clipping shows, there was quite a building “boom” in South Kortright, NY at the time.
In the early 1900′s, the property was acquired by James McLean, who amassed his fortune in a copper brokerage business in New York City and was used as an additional McLean residence. By 1907, the property was operated as the South Kortright Inn for Mr. McLean by Mr. and Mrs. F.G. Lyon until they moved to Walton, NY, and the Inn was rented as a private home.
On March 30, 1906, (here is where there is a bit of confusion) the property was transferred from Alameda Creamery Company ( the Village of South Kortright was previously called Almeda and Almeda Creamery Company was incorporated November 5, 1894) to Sheffield-Farms-Slauson-Decker Company - “a parcel 6 rods and 6 ft by 17 rods, adjacent to land conveyed by U Presbyterian Church of Stamford to Robert Nesbitt (book 145, p. 662) (Parcel II). The above premises are conveyed subject to an option held by James McLean for such portion of land as he is now using as a tennis court, the purchase price to be paid thereof to be paid to second party providing said McLean takes title thereto.”
South Kortright Inn Brochure - prior to 1914
Shortly thereafter, Sheffield Farms Creamery in Bloomville, the site of the first pasteurizing machine in the United States installed in 1892, maintained the Inn for their employees and management.
Some years later, the use of the property was returned to a public Inn and the name remained the South Kortright Inn and was managed by Mrs. Rebecca K White until April 1914. The widow White was tragically killed on April 27, 1914, when she stepped in front of a Ulster and Delaware coal train at a crossing 3 miles from the South Kortright Inn.
New York Sun, 1914
On November 30, 1914, the property was transferred from James McLean et. ux (and wife) to Sheffield Farms and several other transfers took place over the next several decades including June 13, 1940, Sheffield Farms Corporation to Alice McLean (book 249, p. 236).“shall not at any time be used for dairy or creamery purposes or for a milk shipping plant and that the covenant shall run with the land” and November 15, 1946, from Alice McLean to Gerald F. McLean, a portion of the property subsequently excepted from the “Old Inn Lot.”
Sunday Press, Binghamton, Oct 19, 1958
On May 26, 1950, Alice McLean sold the property to Gustav L Stewart of Tompkins Corners, Putnam County, ending the long period in which the McLean family had associations with the property and building. In August 1950, a newspaper clipping shows a property transfer from Gustav L. Stewart to Hidden Inn, Inc. Gus Stewart and Mrs. Nancy Campbell operated “The Inn” as the Hidden Inn until April 19, 1952, when the property was again transferred from Hidden Inn Inc. to Homer A. Benedict. In 1957, the property and business was again sold, this time to Mr. J Emmet Clark (known as “Tuffy”) and his wife. On the early 1960′s, the Clarks sold the property and business to Mr. and Mrs. Hope and Henry Bosland, the founders of Bosland’s Home Made Ice Cream in Totowa, NJ and the first owners to provide an International Buffet that featured the infamous “bottomless” bowl of shrimp each Friday evening.
The Bosland’s successfully ran the Inn until they sold it to Herb and Mary Hait on October 12, 1982. In 1987, Kevin White was incorporated into the business as a partner and in January 1991 Kevin and Debby White purchased the business from Herb and Mary.
In late 2010, the Hidden Inn was acquired by its current owners and has been fully renovated and restored. At this point, the rich history of the Hidden Inn will continue and the owners intend to become a part of your history.
A Step Back in Time
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