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Wentworth by the Sea

January 01, 1970

The Wentworth by the Sea is a historic grand resort hotel in New Castle, New Hampshire, United States. It is one of a handful of the state's surviving Gilded Age grand hotels, and the last located on the seacoast. The Wentworth by the Sea is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Wentworth by the Sea
General information
LocationNew Castle, New Hampshire
Address599 Wentworth Rd
Coordinates43°3′36″N 70°43′34″W / 43.06000°N 70.72611°W / 43.06000; -70.72611
Opening1874
OwnerOcean Properties Hotels and Resorts
ManagementOpal Collection Hotels & Resorts
Other information
Number of rooms161

History edit

The Wentworth was built in 1874 by Daniel Chase, a distiller from Somerville, Massachusetts, and for the first two years was named Wentworth Hall. It was bought by Frank Jones in 1879 and expanded in the Second Empire style. With Jones's death, the hotel was sold in 1902.

In 1905, the hotel housed the Russian and Japanese delegations who concluded the Treaty of Portsmouth to end the Russo-Japanese War. U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt suggested the peace talks, and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his actions. Both delegations were welcomed at no charge, with Frank Jones' executor Judge Calvin Page providing hospitality as Jones' will stipulated he should. The final document was signed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard where formal negotiations took place, but the final language of the treaty was drafted, and the armistice ending the fighting, was signed at The Wentworth. In addition, the Japanese hosted an "International Love Fest" at the hotel on the signing.

After a number of owners, Harry Beckwith bought the hotel in 1920 and ran it for 25 years. In 1946, it was acquired by Margaret and James Barker Smith for $200,000.[1] On July 4, 1964, Emerson and Jane Reed became the first African-Americans to overcome the hotel's segregation policy, dining at its restaurant.[2]

With declining fortunes and changing owners, the hotel closed in 1982.[3] Multiple decaying wings and additions were demolished, shrinking the resort to half its previous size, leaving only the historic main wing surviving.[4] A local group, Friends of the Wentworth, formed and tried to preserve the hotel. When they were unable to locate sufficient support, Alan Green, president of the Green Corporation (which owned the hotel at that time), announced the planned demolition of the remaining portion of the hotel in 1995.[3]

Attention was drawn to the plight of the Victorian hotel when it appeared on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's (NTHP) list of America's Most Endangered Places, and the History Channel's America's Most Endangered in 1996. This postponed the demolition sufficiently to identify a buyer, and Ocean Properties, a Portsmouth-based hotel management company, acquired the property in 1997.[5]

The hotel's surviving main wing was completely restored, with new wings constructed on either side. The hotel reopened on May 16, 2003,[6] owned and managed by Ocean Properties, but operating as a Marriott franchise, Wentworth by the Sea, A Marriott Hotel & Spa. The Wentworth by the Sea is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Historic Hotels of America.

The hotel left Marriott on March 1, 2023 and joined the Opal Collection chain as Wentworth by the Sea.[7]

The now-independent Wentworth by the Sea Country Club is home to the golf course that was initially designed by George Wright in 1897, enlarged by Donald Ross in 1921, and further expanded to 18 holes by Geoffrey Cornish in 1964. The Wentworth Marina is also independently operated and welcomes Wentworth hotel guests.

In Media edit

While the hotel was vacant, it was used as a haunted setting for the 1999 film, In Dreams, starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Annette Bening.[8]

Gallery edit

  • Wentworth by the Sea
  •  
    The original main wing of the Wentworth in 1892
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    Hotel Wentworth, 1905
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    A Talley-Ho coach in front of The Wentworth, 1905
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    Postcard commemorating the Treaty of Portsmouth, 1905
  •  
    Count Witte in his room at The Wentworth, 1905
  •  
    Count Witte leaving the Wentworth, 1905
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    Komura Jutarō and Takahira Kogoro leaving The Wentworth for the peace conference, 1905
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    The Wentworth in 1906
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    The Wentworth, after numerous additions in the early 20th century
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    Hotel Wentworth advertisement in a 1915 issue of Scribner's Magazine
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    The Wentworth, circa 1920
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    The Wentworth, 1930s
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    The Wentworth, 1930s
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    The Wentworth, 1930s
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    The Wentworth, 1930s
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    Aerial view of The Wentworth and adjacent Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, 1930s
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    The ruined and abandoned main wing of the Wentworth in 1995, after all the additions had been demolished
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    The Wentworth, 1995
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    The Wentworth, 1995
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    The Wentworth, 1995
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    The Wentworth, 1995
  •  
    The Wentworth, 1995
  •  
    The Wentworth, 1995
  •  
    The Wentworth, 1995
  •  
    The Wentworth, 1995
  •  
    The Wentworth, 1995
  •  
    The Wentworth, 1995
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    The Wentworth, 1995
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    The Wentworth, 1995
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    The Wentworth, 1995
  •  
    Panorama of the restored Wentworth by the Sea, 2010
  •  
    The restored Wentworth by the Sea, showing a modern addition in foreground and historic main wing in background, 2006

References edit

  1. ^ Wentworth Hotel. The Smith Era 1946 to 1980, accessed 09-04-2008
  2. ^ Mark J. Sammons, Valerie Cunnigham: Black Portsmouth, pages 182-3
  3. ^ a b Wentworth by the Sea. "Wentworth History"., accessed 09-04-2004
  4. ^ https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/2001/04/01/wentworth-by-sea-waiting-game/50263865007/
  5. ^ https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/2000/04/02/this-could-be-last-attempt/50265023007/
  6. ^ https://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2003_2nd/May03_Wentworth.html
  7. ^ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wentworth-by-the-sea-to-join-the-prestigious-opal-collection-301757160.html
  8. ^ Seacoast.com -- The Wentworth Hotel Was Empty Shell

Further reading edit

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Wentworth by the Sea Country Club
  • Friends of the Wentworth, Inc.
  • Wentworth by the Sea Stories, accessed 09-04-2008
  • Portsmouth Peace Treaty: 1905-2005
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hotel Wentworth by the Sea.

January 01, 1970
wentworth, historic, grand, resort, hotel, castle, hampshire, united, states, handful, state, surviving, gilded, grand, hotels, last, located, seacoast, member, historic, hotels, america, official, program, national, trust, historic, preservation, general, inf. The Wentworth by the Sea is a historic grand resort hotel in New Castle New Hampshire United States It is one of a handful of the state s surviving Gilded Age grand hotels and the last located on the seacoast The Wentworth by the Sea is a member of Historic Hotels of America the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation Wentworth by the SeaGeneral informationLocationNew Castle New HampshireAddress599 Wentworth RdCoordinates43 3 36 N 70 43 34 W 43 06000 N 70 72611 W 43 06000 70 72611Opening1874OwnerOcean Properties Hotels and ResortsManagementOpal Collection Hotels amp ResortsOther informationNumber of rooms161 Contents 1 History 2 In Media 3 Gallery 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory editThe Wentworth was built in 1874 by Daniel Chase a distiller from Somerville Massachusetts and for the first two years was named Wentworth Hall It was bought by Frank Jones in 1879 and expanded in the Second Empire style With Jones s death the hotel was sold in 1902 In 1905 the hotel housed the Russian and Japanese delegations who concluded the Treaty of Portsmouth to end the Russo Japanese War U S President Theodore Roosevelt suggested the peace talks and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his actions Both delegations were welcomed at no charge with Frank Jones executor Judge Calvin Page providing hospitality as Jones will stipulated he should The final document was signed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard where formal negotiations took place but the final language of the treaty was drafted and the armistice ending the fighting was signed at The Wentworth In addition the Japanese hosted an International Love Fest at the hotel on the signing After a number of owners Harry Beckwith bought the hotel in 1920 and ran it for 25 years In 1946 it was acquired by Margaret and James Barker Smith for 200 000 1 On July 4 1964 Emerson and Jane Reed became the first African Americans to overcome the hotel s segregation policy dining at its restaurant 2 With declining fortunes and changing owners the hotel closed in 1982 3 Multiple decaying wings and additions were demolished shrinking the resort to half its previous size leaving only the historic main wing surviving 4 A local group Friends of the Wentworth formed and tried to preserve the hotel When they were unable to locate sufficient support Alan Green president of the Green Corporation which owned the hotel at that time announced the planned demolition of the remaining portion of the hotel in 1995 3 Attention was drawn to the plight of the Victorian hotel when it appeared on the National Trust for Historic Preservation s NTHP list of America s Most Endangered Places and the History Channel s America s Most Endangered in 1996 This postponed the demolition sufficiently to identify a buyer and Ocean Properties a Portsmouth based hotel management company acquired the property in 1997 5 The hotel s surviving main wing was completely restored with new wings constructed on either side The hotel reopened on May 16 2003 6 owned and managed by Ocean Properties but operating as a Marriott franchise Wentworth by the Sea A Marriott Hotel amp Spa The Wentworth by the Sea is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation s Historic Hotels of America The hotel left Marriott on March 1 2023 and joined the Opal Collection chain as Wentworth by the Sea 7 The now independent Wentworth by the Sea Country Club is home to the golf course that was initially designed by George Wright in 1897 enlarged by Donald Ross in 1921 and further expanded to 18 holes by Geoffrey Cornish in 1964 The Wentworth Marina is also independently operated and welcomes Wentworth hotel guests In Media editWhile the hotel was vacant it was used as a haunted setting for the 1999 film In Dreams starring Robert Downey Jr and Annette Bening 8 Gallery editWentworth by the Sea nbsp The original main wing of the Wentworth in 1892 nbsp Hotel Wentworth 1905 nbsp A Talley Ho coach in front of The Wentworth 1905 nbsp Postcard commemorating the Treaty of Portsmouth 1905 nbsp Count Witte in his room at The Wentworth 1905 nbsp Count Witte leaving the Wentworth 1905 nbsp Komura Jutarō and Takahira Kogoro leaving The Wentworth for the peace conference 1905 nbsp The Wentworth in 1906 nbsp The Wentworth after numerous additions in the early 20th century nbsp Hotel Wentworth advertisement in a 1915 issue of Scribner s Magazine nbsp The Wentworth circa 1920 nbsp The Wentworth 1930s nbsp The Wentworth 1930s nbsp The Wentworth 1930s nbsp The Wentworth 1930s nbsp Aerial view of The Wentworth and adjacent Portsmouth Naval Shipyard 1930s nbsp The ruined and abandoned main wing of the Wentworth in 1995 after all the additions had been demolished nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp The Wentworth 1995 nbsp Panorama of the restored Wentworth by the Sea 2010 nbsp The restored Wentworth by the Sea showing a modern addition in foreground and historic main wing in background 2006References edit Wentworth Hotel The Smith Era 1946 to 1980 accessed 09 04 2008 Mark J Sammons Valerie Cunnigham Black Portsmouth pages 182 3 a b Wentworth by the Sea Wentworth History accessed 09 04 2004 https www seacoastonline com story news 2001 04 01 wentworth by sea waiting game 50263865007 https www seacoastonline com story news 2000 04 02 this could be last attempt 50265023007 https www hotel online com News PR2003 2nd May03 Wentworth html https www prnewswire com news releases wentworth by the sea to join the prestigious opal collection 301757160 html Seacoast com The Wentworth Hotel Was Empty ShellFurther reading editDennis Robinson Wentworth by the Sea The Life and Times of a Grand Hotel Publisher Peter E Randall April 1 2004 ISBN 1 931807 21 3 ISBN 978 1 931807 21 0 Sue Chapman Melanson Wentworth By the Sea 1969 A Novel Publisher Xlibris Dec 10 2000 ISBN 978 0 7388 4415 2 self published source External links editOfficial website Wentworth by the Sea Country Club Friends of the Wentworth Inc Wentworth by the Sea Stories accessed 09 04 2008 Portsmouth Peace Treaty 1905 2005 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hotel Wentworth by the Sea Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wentworth by the Sea amp oldid 1161004535, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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