The Hubbard House, A Clayton Landmark On James Street

The Hubbard House on James Street in Clayton is estimated to have been built in 1845.  Some reports indicate it was owned by brothers John B. and James T. Hubbard, though the latter would only have been 15 years old at that date. Nevertheless, James reportedly bought his brother’s interest in the hotel in the 1870s, and his wife, Eleanor Martin Hubbard, conducted the business.

The married couple operated the busy three-story hotel, graced with porches on its second and third floors, for nearly two decades before tragedy struck.  After a lengthy illness, James T. Hubbard passed away in mid-March of 1891 at the age of 51 after the Hubbard House had become one of the state’s most widely known summer resorts.

The announcement of his death in the Watertown Daily Times read–

The many friends of James T. Hubbard, of Clayton, will regret to hear of his death, which occurred at the Hubbard house on Saturday night.  For some time past his health has failed him, till ten days ago, when he was taken much worse, and on Monday last a prominent Buffalo physician was called in consultation with Mr. Hubbard’s local physician, Dr. F. M. Vebber, but no hopes were entertained for his recovery. 

Everything that could be was done, but he gradually sank till 11 p.m. Saturday, when he passed peacefully away.  Great sympathy is felt here for the bereaved relatives in their trouble.  Not only by his fellow townspeople will be the late Mr. Hubbard be mourned, but by a host of friends in all parts of the country, for widely known, he has deservedly won the great regard and respect by all familiar with him—a genial and kindly gentleman.  

Several improvements were made that spring and summer, including the tearing down of the sheds and livery barns that served farmers for many years.  Eleanor Hubbard assumed management of Hubbard House during the summer months and wrote a short piece in The Times May 11th edition, announcing her intentions to carry on with the business–

I have received so many letters inquiring into my plans for the future that I thought it best, by this circular, to inform our old friends that the hotel will continue open under my management.  I shall be glad to see them all again, and will put forth my best efforts to provide well for their comfort and entertainment.  

In 1895, work began on the “New” Hubbard House, an annex to the original building and described as “one of the handsome structures that have been added to St. Lawrence River Architecture.”  A June 1 article in The Times went on to describe—

The beautiful new annex, costing about $15,000, will be entirely ready for occupancy about June 15.  It will be elegantly furnished and every comfort desired by modern tourists will be afforded.  It will have 51 sleeping rooms arranged in single or en suite, six private parlors, a card room, smoking room, writing room and reception room.  Gas and electricity will be used in lighting.  Bathrooms will be conveniently located.  Mrs. E. M. Hubbard, as proprietress, C. M. Nott, who is interested in the new Butterfield House at Utica, and with peculiar adaptability for hotel business, as general manager.  

A month later, the annex proved to be a fortunate investment as the original building was destroyed in a tremendous fire that saw nine stores also in ruins despite the best efforts of firefighters from Watertown, Carthage, and Alexandria Bay.  

At 7 p.m. on July 11, Mrs. Hubbard sent a telegram to the Postal Telegraph Co. in Watertown, stating that a dangerous fire had started at her hotel property and threatened the entire downtown.  Immediate help was requested, and within a short time, Mayor J. B. Wise consented, and the Courthouse bell sounded 10 strokes to signal a fire out of town.  

By three minutes of 8 p.m., a steamer and hose cart from Engine House No. 2 were loaded onto a flat car, and one coach filled with firemen was on their way to Clayton.  The Times reported—

There was much excitement in Watertown and the usual number of exaggerated stories were passed around concerning the extent and progress of the conflagration.  The entire village was wiped out of existence several times by excited news carriers, and even the telegraph wires told very alarming stories.  Many citizens remained near the newspaper and telegraph offices until 9, when the assurance came that the fire was under control and that more had been saved from the flames than was expected.  

The Hubbard House’s original building was deemed a total loss from estimates of $60,000 – $75,000, while the eastern part of town was saved from total destruction.  The Walton House, another large hotel, was in immediate danger several times but escaped damage.  It was initially believed that a spark from the laundry room’s chimney entered an open window of a barn and set fire to the hay stored within.  

The general alarm, when signaled, alerted 40 guests, most of them eating their evening meal, to evacuate the Hubbard House.  The guests were from all parts of New York State, Chicago, and as far away as London, England.  A brisk southerly wind fanned the flames, spreading them to neighboring buildings such as Louie Hax’s saloon and restaurant, Hiram Mount’s harness shop, and A. H. Hambley’s Clothing store before spreading along Water Street before the winds changed direction.

Between Carthage, Watertown, and Alexandria Bay, 220 additional men arrived to fight the flames.  After their efforts, the out-of-town firemen were served supper at the Walton House and departed at 1:30 a.m, except the Alexandria Bay crew, who returned later in the morning via the river.

Mrs. Hubbard, with the opening of the annex just a month earlier, was able to save her season with the aid of a temporary kitchen and dining room built on the site of the old Hubbard House in one week’s time.  By October, a contract was in place to rebuild the Hubbard House into a three-story brick hotel on the site of the old, necessitating moving the temporary dining building further back so that excavation of a cellar.

Architect J. B. Reed of Ogdensburg was contracted to rebuild the Hubbard House, and as of February 1896, the building was nearing completion for a June opening.  Its length was 112 feet long by 57 feet deep and three stories high and contained 40 sleeping rooms, a dining room, an office, a bar, and a barbershop. Together with the annex built the year before, the Hubbard House would have a total of 80 sleeping rooms and become an all-season hotel.  

In 1899, Mrs. Hubbard made some improvements to the Hubbard House, including a porch built on the east side.  A parcel of land at the rear of the hotel was also leased for sports and games.  The hotel remained one of the popular destinations for the next decade before a fiery disaster struck again.

On March 27, 1909, disaster struck once again for the Hubbard House, this time as flames were discovered shortly after midnight in the McKinley Block.  Several street blocks on James Street were reduced to smoldering rubble, including the Hubbard House annex.  The Times reported of the conflagration—

Both sides of James Street in the village lay today a smouldering mass of ruins as the result of the most destructive fire in the history of the village.  the fire started shortly after midnight and before morning from $150,000 to $200.000 worth of property went up in smoke.  Until early morning the fire raged and only the combined efforts of the Clayton Fire Department, assisted by a detachment of the fire department from Watertown saved more property from destruction.  The village is staggered by the blow, but the heaviest losers are optimistic and say that they will rebuild.  

When flames leaped across the street to the Hubbard House annex, the 14-year-old wooden structure “was enveloped in flames.”  The Watertown Fire Department didn’t arrive until about 3:15 a.m. with a steamer and 1,000 feet of hose and found themselves focusing on saving the rest of the annex, but the efforts were futile.  

The neighboring structures on either side of the Hubbard House annex were residences with a space of about four rods, about a distance of 66 feet, but sparks and flames were able to spread to the homes.  The efforts of the two fire departments were able to save them from total destruction, but it wasn’t until another hour and 45 minutes that the flames were finally brought under control.  

The total loss for Mrs. Hubbard amounted to $15,000, of which only one-fourth was insured. Meanwhile, the Watertown Fire Department returned home at about 11:00 a.m.  It was learned that just before their deployment, Acting Fire Chief Bundy received word that Dexter was afire and sent firemen and equipment there as well.  

The Hubbard House would continue to operate, Mrs. Hubbard attending to guests as usual, though another fire was discovered early one morning in October, which was quickly brought under control, resulting in only $300 worth of damage.  Unlike the 1895 fire when the main portion of the Hubbard House was rebuilt, Mrs. Hubbard elected not to rebuild the annex.  

In 1922, ownership of the Hubbard House changed for the first time in about 60 years when it was sold to Andrew F. Keough, proprietor of the Carlton House in Cape Vincent and also a former manager of the Hubbard.  Keough’s ownership was short-lived, having sold the property a year-and-a-half later to Harold N. Bertrand, of Clayton, on September 22, 1923.

The property was owned and managed by Harold and then his son Robert for nearly 50 years under the Hubbard House name and later Bertrand’s Hubbard Hotel, and finally Bertrand’s Hotel before being demolished in 1972.  Robert Bertrand still operated the motel adjacent to the property and hinted at plans of expanding that in the October 17th, 1972 Watertown Daily Times article–

Bertrand’s Hotel, Clayton Landmark, To Be Demolished

At one time known as the Hubbard House, then as Bertrand’s Hubbard Hotel and Motel, the three-story brick hotel on James Street in Clayton is scheduled for demolition later this winter. 

A landmark in Clayton and one of the few old summer resort hotels left in the North Country, the hotel, built in 1898 (sic), is the third structure to occupy the present site.  The original Hubbard House, built before the beginning of the Civil War, was destroyed by fire in 1895.  An adjoining 100-room annex remained in operation until it too burned in 1907.  The present building was constructed following the first fire, but was undamaged in the 1907 blaze.  

Robert Bertrand, manager of the hotel, said that no plans have yet been made for new construction on the site, although he expects that six to eight more units may eventually be added to the 12 existing motel units on the property.  “I expect that we’ll be able to come to a decision on construction sometime next year,” he said. “It depends a great deal on our receipts for the coming summer.” 

The article concluded with mentioning some of the hotel’s famous guests over the years, including Admiral Richard Byrd; and Irving Berlin, a guest of the vaudeville comedian May Irwin who also had a summer home on the St. Lawrence River at one point.