A Brief History Of The Quimby House Inn

The Quimby House Inn is a Bar Harbor hotel that opened it’s doors for business in 1992. Located on quaint Cottage Street in downtown Bar Harbor Maine, the house was built in the late 1890s and was home to many businesses, including Clement Lime & Hair in 1908 and a painter’s office around 1916. It also served as a private residence to several families throughout the years. Now owned by Tim and Danielle Ray, the Quimby House Inn has 22 charming rooms available and always offers its visitors a pleasant, relaxed and comfortable stay.

The Quimby House Inn Welcomes Everyone

In business for over fifteen years, the Quimby House is a Bar Harbor hotel that is open year round and has earned the AAA Three Diamond Award For Excellence distinction. We are a non-smoking, handicap accessible inn in Bar Harbor, Maine and proudly offer attentive service and elegant accommodations that are affordable, right in the heart of downtown Bar Harbor.

A Look Back At Bar Harbor’s Beginnings

Bar Harbor has always attracted summer visitors, starting with the Wabnaki tribe and over time, the elite of New York City and Boston. First settled in 1763, the town was originally known as Eden until it changed to its current name in 1918. Yachting, garden parties and carriage rides were popular activities of the rich and famous, as well as horse-racing and golfing at the still standing Kebo Valley Golf Club. Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island were the inspiration for many artists and journalists and was visited by many notables, including President William Howard Taft, the Rockefellers, Joseph Pullitzer, the Vanderbilts, the Fords and Mary Cadwalader Jones. Beautiful “cottages” were built as well as several hotels for the visitors arriving daily by ferry and train.

The town thrived for years and was the summer playground for the wealthy until 1947, when a severe drought sparked a devastating fire that destroyed 170 year round residences as well as the palatial homes of 67 summer residents on Millionaires’ Row. Five historic hotels succumbed to the fire and 10,000 acres of Acadia National Park burned. The Town of Bar Harbor changed immensely after the fire and the opulent lifestyles and “cottage era” came to a close. Many summer residents never returned and motels and hotels were erected in place of the grand cottages to meet the ever-increasing tourist population.

Join Us At The Quimby House Inn

Today Bar Harbor is a thriving vacation destination, welcoming thousands to it’s small island community. At the Quimby House Inn, the Ray’s invite you to stay with them in their downtown Bar Harbor inn and experience all the town, island and Acadia National Park have to offer.  Contact us today!