WhiteMountainHistory.org
Telling the story of 200 years of White Mountain History
Fabyan House
From Batchelder's Popular Resorts, 1878
History
The Fabyan House opened in 1873. It was named after Horace Fabyan, who had operated a hotel on the same site which burned in 1853. That hotel was called the Mount Washington House and it was not rebuilt after the fire. Questions about the ownership of the land prevented anyone from rebuilding for almost twenty years. Eventually, a group of investors headed by Sylvester Marsh, builder of the Cog Railway, acquired the land and constructed the hotel. It was able to accommodate 500 guests. The Fabyan House became the major railroad hub of the area. As can be seen in the photo gallery, there were numerous outbuildings around the hotel, on both sides of the current highway.
The hotel burned in 1951.
Historic sites of interest near the Fabyan House
There were several support buildings associated with the railroad station. These included freight sheds and an engine house.
The Mount Washington Turnpike to the Cog Railway Base Station started from a point directly opposite the Fabyan House. There was toll gate and toll house connected to this turnpike.
Two railroad tracks crossed the river; one was the main line and the other was the branch line to the Cog Railway Base station.
Ethan Allen and Lucy Crawford are buried just a short distance up the road to the Base Station. Access is on a paved road going into a condominium development on the left. Their Inn was located nearby.
The gingerbread style Victorian home that still stands was the home of Sylvester Marsh, builder of the Cog Railway and an investor in the Fabyan House.
Suggested Reading:
"The Grand Resort Hotels of the White Mountains" by Bryant Tolles, Jr.
The hotel is also described in the several travel guides published, such as Batchelder's and Eastman's.
"The Grand Resort Hotels of the White Mountains" by Bryant Tolles, Jr.
The hotel is also described in the several travel guides published, such as Batchelder's and Eastman's.
