Riverside Inn, hotel and Dinner theatre
The Riverside Inn was a large three-story wooden structure with a distinctive corner tower built in the late 1880s along French Creek. The hotel contained 74 rooms, a separate Casino building in Shingle style, and later a golf course that sprawled across the seven-and-a-half-acre property.
John H. Gray discovered a mineral spring in 1859 and started a company to develop a resort, opening as the Riverside Hotel in 1888. The Baird family purchased the property in 1895 and constructed a boardwalk to the spring in 1899, later expanding with golf facilities and other improvements.
The Riverside Inn served as the social center of Cambridge Springs for over a century. It attracted people seeking rest and entertainment, from those interested in the mineral springs to visitors who came for golf and cultural events held at the venue.
The hotel featured a walkway connecting it directly to the mineral spring, making it convenient for guests to access the water without traveling elsewhere. The expansive grounds allowed for multiple activities including golf, giving visitors several leisure options within the property.
The hotel hosted the U.S. Chess Championship in 1988 and was featured in the 2013 television series 'The Dead Files,' which investigated reported paranormal activity within the building. These events brought national and cultural attention to the property from chess enthusiasts and those interested in unexplained phenomena.
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