One would think that Cooperstown’s famous resort hotel, The Otesaga, would’ve had a festive opening on Monday, July 12, 1909. But that wasn’t the case when the doors were opened for lunch, and Edward Severin Clark inscribed his name upon the first line of the hotel’s new register.

Call it a dress rehearsal, as the resort would be busy soon enough. A convention was booked for the next day. After all, the meaning of Otesaga is an American Indian interpretation for "The Place of Meeting."

The Clarks kept the opening low-key, but the first guests to register were all from New York City, who had made the trip to Cooperstown to be present at the opening.

It was during the week of March 22, 1908, that J.A.M. Johnston, agent of the Clark Estates, announced through the region’s newspapers that Edward S. and Stephen C. Clark had purchased the Holt-Averill property, comprising about 10 acres and fronting 700 feet on Otsego Lake, for the purpose of building a large, new summer hotel.

By Oct. 23, the walls of the first story of the hotel were completed and the mechanics were fitting the iron girders. On Jan. 1, 1909, it was reported the last brick had been laid on the structure. By Jan. 21, the roof was completed.

Work on the interior progressed rapidly and all plastering was completed by the middle of May. Until the opening on July 12, it was a race against time to finish and furnish all the rooms. The Otesaga had an important deadline to make. On July 13, the new hotel had its first convention for the New York State Press Association.

One can only imagine how hard The Otesaga staff worked to make everything go well for the annual meeting of the press from around the state. The Otsego Farmer said of the event, "The molders of public opinion could not have selected a more delightful place or time for their outing." The first event must have been successful, as there was no "bad press" about the new resort.

The Otsego Farmer continued, "From its windows and broad verandas a view as charming as the Divine Hand ever painted fills the eye while refreshing breezes from over the gentle waters fan the brow."

While The Otesaga was always a successful resort, it was prosperous from June through September, when open for tourists from around the world. The off-season became a bit of a problem, however. The Otesaga faced some difficult financial times in 1920.

A place called the Knox School for Girls suffered a fire that year, at its location near Tarrytown.

The school’s academic year began after Cooperstown’s tourists left for the season, and finished just before the tourists returned. A negotiated move between Knox and the Otesaga seemed to be a perfect fit. The Knox School kept The Otesaga as their school until the 1953-54 academic year. It was announced the school would relocate to Long Island, as the lease expired.

The tradition of the hotel serving as a school continued in 1961, when the AT&T Data Communications Training School opened. An arrangement was made before 1961 to locate the training school in Cooperstown. It continued until it was announced in April 1969 that AT&T would close the school the next year, with the last graduating class in June 1970.

The Otesaga has been selected as a member of the prestigious Historic Hotels of America by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Ninety-eight years later, the Otesaga still impresses many who walk into its lobby for the first time, to either have a fine meal or to stay awhile.

On Monday: We’ll stay awhile longer in Cooperstown, and visit the new Farmers’ Museum.

City Historian Mark Simonson’s column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area during the Depression and before. His Monday columns address local history after the Depression. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or e-mail him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is www.oneontahistorian.com.