Paul Smith’s Hotel was constructed in 1859 in Brighton, New York by Apollos Smith in the town of Brighton, New York. Famous politicians, industrialists, and entertainers of the 19th century all stayed there, and it developed a reputation as one of the finest wilderness resorts in the region. Prominent visitors included President Calvin Coolidge, New York Governor Al Smith, and circus entrepreneur P. T. Barnum. The hotel burned down in 1930.
Other prominent locations in the area include Gabriel’s Sanatorium, a facility for the care and treatment of tuberculosis patients which was destroyed by fire in 1916, as well as a training camp for the Women's Army Corps (WAC) and the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC).
Scope of Collection
This collection contains images which relate primarily to Paul Smith’s Hotel–including depictions of the members of the Smith family, buildings on the hotel’s grounds, as well as nearby roads, rail lines, and waterways. The collection also contains several images of the hotel’s destruction by fire in 1930. Also included are images of prominent visitors, as well as the nearby Gabriel’s Sanitorium and the WAAC/WAC training camp.