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Episode 8: Identity, Part 2
In 1973, the Moisis Family of Bellows Falls, VT bought the historic Hotel Windham building in the downtown, cleaned it up, refurbished it and opened a nice, sit down restaurant with the look and feel of the town’s former 19th century glory. But this fine dining experience didn’t seem to fly in this burned out, blue collar old mill town. So the family found a clientele that would be interested in the good food, dancing and socializing they were offering ...
Transcript
The original hotel on the site where the Hotel Windham now stands,; was first a stage coach stop. The first of 5 incarnations of a hotel on this site. Built in 1816, it burned in 1860. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793956900-R9NC6UP2PG2BQAFCRXF1/RFPL+Bellows+Falls+Stage+House+1816-1860.jpg" role="button" class="
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Bellows Falls Stage House c. 1855
The second building on the site, this version of the Hotel Windham burned in 1899. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684794042714-CX0C698DHEKJHIZK4QPI/RFPL+Hotel+Windham+Fire+April+12+1899.jpg" role="button" class="
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Hotel Windham 1899 Fire
After the 1899 fire, the Hotel Windham was rebuilt. This was the third incarnation of the hotel to that point. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793953965-FNKORM0WBHAVW368JAJU/RFPL+Hotel+Windham+1900-1912.jpg" role="button" class="
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Hotel Windham c.1900-1912
The Hotel Windham burned yet again, in 1912 and would again, be rebuilt. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793947949-5OX5V7237CIR1HO8P22Y/RFPL+Hotel+Windham+Fire+March+26+1912.jpg" role="button" class="
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Hotel Windham 1912 Fire
A shot of the Hotel Windham’s dining hall, in the 4th incarnation of the hotel -rebuilt after the 1912 fire. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793951092-1RTFEFEDM8JR73ROA3N8/RFPL+Hotel+Windham+banquet+hall+1913.jpg" role="button" class="
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Dining Hall in Hotel Windham c. 1913
The Hotel Windham burns for the final time in April of 1932 and is rebuilt AGAIN - leaving us with the building that is there today. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793936144-11M5LZUIZ88Y0M30F0RM/RFPL+Hotel+Windham+Fire+April+5+1932.jpg" role="button" class="
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Hotel Windham Fire 1932
During the Moisis family’s renovations in the 1970s, a mural that had been in the building from the town’s bicentennial celebrations in 1953 was damaged and so they had a new mural commissioned. Photo courtesy of the Brattleboro Reformer." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793943575-Y86GNCDPXC7U6OFUPVO7/Jan+1974+Brattleboro+Reformer+Inn+opens+mural.png" role="button" class="
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Mural for Grand Opening: 1974
John Moisis took out ads in gay publications in the northeast to advertise Andrews Inn. Photo courtesy of the Gay Country News." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793940289-VUBP5L71166M12VPW4D0/Inn+ad+Gay+Country+News+Feb+1977.png" role="button" class="
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Inn's Ad in Gay Community News 1977
Acknowledgements:
Segment Participants:
Kate Buckman
Jon Midura
Myles Mickle
Michael Bruno
Interviewee:
John Moisis*
Special Thanks:
HB Lozito, Out In the Open: for giving us permission to use clips from their *audio
clips from their 2017 Andrews Inn Oral History Project and for acting as a sounding board for the
concept of this show and reading through the scripts for content and tone. For more information
about OITO, check out their website, www.weareoutintheopen.org.
Music and Sound Effects: provided with permission by Epidemic Sound, LLC
George’s Sandbox- Magnus Ludvisson
In the Spirit of Cannes - The Flax
Some Autumn; His Old Lover - Leimoti
Something to Someone - Bireli Snow
Happy Minor Waltz - Franz Gordon
Bobby Swing - Bladverk Band
PREL Dron 16; 80
Photos:
Rockingham Free Public Library
Brattleboro Reformer
Gay Country News
Follow us on the social medias!
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View all episodes
By Gail Golec
4.9
3838 ratings
In 1973, the Moisis Family of Bellows Falls, VT bought the historic Hotel Windham building in the downtown, cleaned it up, refurbished it and opened a nice, sit down restaurant with the look and feel of the town’s former 19th century glory. But this fine dining experience didn’t seem to fly in this burned out, blue collar old mill town. So the family found a clientele that would be interested in the good food, dancing and socializing they were offering ...
Transcript
The original hotel on the site where the Hotel Windham now stands,; was first a stage coach stop. The first of 5 incarnations of a hotel on this site. Built in 1816, it burned in 1860. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793956900-R9NC6UP2PG2BQAFCRXF1/RFPL+Bellows+Falls+Stage+House+1816-1860.jpg" role="button" class="
image-slide-anchor
js-gallery-lightbox-opener
content-fill
"
>
View fullsize
Bellows Falls Stage House c. 1855
The second building on the site, this version of the Hotel Windham burned in 1899. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684794042714-CX0C698DHEKJHIZK4QPI/RFPL+Hotel+Windham+Fire+April+12+1899.jpg" role="button" class="
image-slide-anchor
js-gallery-lightbox-opener
content-fill
"
>
View fullsize
Hotel Windham 1899 Fire
After the 1899 fire, the Hotel Windham was rebuilt. This was the third incarnation of the hotel to that point. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793953965-FNKORM0WBHAVW368JAJU/RFPL+Hotel+Windham+1900-1912.jpg" role="button" class="
image-slide-anchor
js-gallery-lightbox-opener
content-fill
"
>
View fullsize
Hotel Windham c.1900-1912
The Hotel Windham burned yet again, in 1912 and would again, be rebuilt. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793947949-5OX5V7237CIR1HO8P22Y/RFPL+Hotel+Windham+Fire+March+26+1912.jpg" role="button" class="
image-slide-anchor
js-gallery-lightbox-opener
content-fill
"
>
View fullsize
Hotel Windham 1912 Fire
A shot of the Hotel Windham’s dining hall, in the 4th incarnation of the hotel -rebuilt after the 1912 fire. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793951092-1RTFEFEDM8JR73ROA3N8/RFPL+Hotel+Windham+banquet+hall+1913.jpg" role="button" class="
image-slide-anchor
js-gallery-lightbox-opener
content-fill
"
>
View fullsize
Dining Hall in Hotel Windham c. 1913
The Hotel Windham burns for the final time in April of 1932 and is rebuilt AGAIN - leaving us with the building that is there today. Photo courtesy of the Rockingham Free Public Library Historic Photo Collection." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793936144-11M5LZUIZ88Y0M30F0RM/RFPL+Hotel+Windham+Fire+April+5+1932.jpg" role="button" class="
image-slide-anchor
js-gallery-lightbox-opener
content-fill
"
>
View fullsize
Hotel Windham Fire 1932
During the Moisis family’s renovations in the 1970s, a mural that had been in the building from the town’s bicentennial celebrations in 1953 was damaged and so they had a new mural commissioned. Photo courtesy of the Brattleboro Reformer." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793943575-Y86GNCDPXC7U6OFUPVO7/Jan+1974+Brattleboro+Reformer+Inn+opens+mural.png" role="button" class="
image-slide-anchor
js-gallery-lightbox-opener
content-fill
"
>
View fullsize
Mural for Grand Opening: 1974
John Moisis took out ads in gay publications in the northeast to advertise Andrews Inn. Photo courtesy of the Gay Country News." data-lightbox-theme="dark" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/578e8604e58c624ebf08623c/1684793940289-VUBP5L71166M12VPW4D0/Inn+ad+Gay+Country+News+Feb+1977.png" role="button" class="
image-slide-anchor
js-gallery-lightbox-opener
content-fill
"
>
View fullsize
Inn's Ad in Gay Community News 1977
Acknowledgements:
Segment Participants:
Kate Buckman
Jon Midura
Myles Mickle
Michael Bruno
Interviewee:
John Moisis*
Special Thanks:
HB Lozito, Out In the Open: for giving us permission to use clips from their *audio
clips from their 2017 Andrews Inn Oral History Project and for acting as a sounding board for the
concept of this show and reading through the scripts for content and tone. For more information
about OITO, check out their website, www.weareoutintheopen.org.
Music and Sound Effects: provided with permission by Epidemic Sound, LLC
George’s Sandbox- Magnus Ludvisson
In the Spirit of Cannes - The Flax
Some Autumn; His Old Lover - Leimoti
Something to Someone - Bireli Snow
Happy Minor Waltz - Franz Gordon
Bobby Swing - Bladverk Band
PREL Dron 16; 80
Photos:
Rockingham Free Public Library
Brattleboro Reformer
Gay Country News
Follow us on the social medias!
The Secret Life of Death Podcast
Facebook and Instagram