Winnipesaukee Forum - King's Grant Inn ~ Gilford ~ 1958

Winnipesaukee Forum (https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/index.php)

- History (https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=18)

- - King's Grant Inn ~ Gilford ~ 1958 (https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5582)

King's Grant Inn ~ Gilford ~ 1958

INCREDIBLE

McDude that brochure is so unreal. I am so glad you posted it. Thank you so much!!!!

McDude, great job with the brochure. In the 50+ years I've been going to the Paugus Bay area, I have never been to Kings Grant Inn. Looks like, in it's hayday it was the place to go. Guess it's too late now. Thanks for the trip back in time.

Is this the same place that has a large sign on 11b? It has had interesting entertainment advertised over the last few years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrc (Post 63165)

It has had interesting entertainment advertised over the last few years.

There's been quite a flap about the King's Grant being granted a LICENSE for EXOTIC DANCING. Back in 2005 the selectmen's denial of a license was declared unconstitutional by the courts.

CASE SUMMARY NH SUPREME COURT

Back around 1963, the King's Grant was a very happening place. It had its' own little rope tow for beginners, and you could loosen your grip going up and slide backwards making a big pile-up. Those were the days....let's bring back rope-tows.....more fun going up than skiing down.

Cocomo's Exotic Dancing at the Grant!....anyone been there....isn't it all closed up? :cheers:

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatlazyless (Post 63194)

....let's bring back rope-tows.....more fun going up than skiing down.

Good luck, bringing them back.

I remember using the rope tow in Woodstock, VT on Suicide Six, where the lift went to Poma, T-bar and now a chair!

That steep hill was quite an experience holding on to the rope!

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatlazyless (Post 63194)

Cocomo's Exotic Dancing at the Grant!....anyone been there....isn't it all closed up? :cheers:

Sadly yes, but based on McD's flyer the interior is still about the same as it was 50 years ago.

Toboggan run pics

Very cool brochure!

Does anyone have any pictures of the toboggan run. I went there as a kid and I think they had a large wooden ramp at the top to get you started. I don't remember much else as I was very young at the time.

from the Laconia Daily Sun

Quote:

Gilford biz back looking for adult entertainment permit
<DL class=article-info><DT class=article-info-term> </DT><DD class=published>Published Date Saturday, 21 September 2013 02:20 </DD></DL>GILFORD — The owner of the former Kings Grant Inn has applied for a live entertainment license that if granted will allow so-called adult entertainment that includes near-naked dance performances.
Willard Drew and his news business partner Tom Lyons have formed the Lakes Region Cafe & Tavern and submitted their application on September 16. Town Administrator Scott Dunn said the application will be on the Selectboard agenda when it meets Wednesday night.
In October of 2011, state narcotics agents accompanied by two SWAT Teams, nearly the entire Gilford Police Department, and all three selectmen and other civilian town employees raided what was then called Mardi Gras North after an undercover investigation by members of the former New Hampshire Drug Task Force.
Task force members said they had purchased a variety of illegal drugs from the female entertainers over the course of their investigation. On the night of the raid, two of the five women targeted by police plus one woman who was entertaining that night were arrested at the bar.
Two other female entertainers along with two male patrons were arrested the same night by cooperating police in Franklin, Tilton, and Holderness.
All five women were convicted or pleaded guilty to some drug violations stemming from the DTF investigation and all served some time in either the Belknap County House of Corrections or the N.H. State Prison.
The raid and it's subsequent fallout led to Drew having his liquor license suspended by the N.H. Board of Liquor Commissioners at the request of selectmen. The commission held an inquiry into charges that included that he allowed his business to be used for unlawful activities. The liquor violation stemmed from activities witnessed by members of the DTF.
After a three-day hearing before the Liquor Commission in July of 2012, Drew — who is the holder of the liquor license Mardi Gras North was operating under — was exonerated of the most serious charge of allowing his business to be used for unlawful activities.
The commissioners found him responsible for over-serving a patron — for which he received the three-day suspension and a $150 fine; for having an employee consume alcohol while working — for which he was fined $100; and for giving away a free drink — for which he was fined $100.
During this time, selectmen revamped the town's live entertainment ordinance and included a provision that the holders of liquor licenses must be the operators of a nightclub in order to have live and/or adult entertainment. Owners are not allowed to lease the club to a different entity.
The ordinance also requires buildings where there is live entertainment to undergo a safety inspection by the town's fire chief and code enforcement officer.
The police chief will determine if uniformed officers will be required. All uniformed officers are paid for by the holder of the permit. The Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook is an example of a live entertainment permit holder being required to provide uniformed police officers at its events.
After he made substantial upgrades to the building and after closing for his three-day license suspension, Drew reapplied for a live entertainment license in late July of 2012 but selectmen voted 2-to-1 to given him his requested license but only if he excluded near-naked dancers.
He stayed open for a while but for the past year the club has been closed.

There is no mention of the bowling alley, I believe there were 4 lanes.

Back in the late 60's I use to teach skiing on the old rope tow. It had an excellent slope for teaching. Plenty of space above an below the tow to gather the students for lessons.

When snowmobiles were big, 70's, 80's, The Grant was the place to get together with other snowmobilers, there was a corridor in back of the inn near the 'dump' and there was access from the lake. I am not sure if there is access today.

Another great place to get together back in the days for snowmobilers was the Alberg Inn. I was told it was sold and the new owners have plans. Anyone now about this?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcdude (Post 63129)

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...ingsgrant1.jpg
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...ingsgrant2.jpg
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...ingsgrant3.jpg
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...ingsgrant4.jpg
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...ingsgrant7.jpg
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...ingsgrant6.jpg

My parents Ralph and Margarete Krauss owned KGI from 1952-1978. We had two ski tows. The main tow covered the main slope known as "What Hill" and a slope through the woods known as "Cliff Trail" named after my brother. Tow two had two trails "Flicky's Folly" named after a family friend and "Kenny's Dip" named after me. In addition to this color brochure, My father actually too the resort public and had one of the first color IPOs. The resort had 100 acres of land full of Cross country ski and snow mobile trails. We also had a dock on dockham shore rd and owned two islands (Welcome Island and Isle of Pines) where we would take guests for picnics. There was a wooded toboggan run with a large octagonal warming hut with an oversize central fire pit. There was also a large observation hut adjacent to the ski slope with floor to ceiling windows and theater seating. The resort thrived until the early 70's when the "All Inclusive Resorts" fell out of favor for family vacations. My father solicited a large Puerto Rican and Dominican clientele. They filled up the resort from Christmas through February from 1973-1978. To increase revenues in the summer we developed a dinner theater with Medieval Nights every Friday and Saturday night. We hired college theater majors from across the country who lived at the hotel and worked a number of resort jobs including the evening entertainment which included bingo night, dance lessons, Las Vegas night, a movie theater. The resort was sold to Ann Moy and Bill Fitzmores in 1978. Ann and Bill had little interest in the Caribbean clients or the dinner theater and after several seasons they went bankrupt. After several seasons not running as a resort the property lost its fire code grandfathering and it was too expensive to bring it up to code. The lake property was sold off, the acreage was sold off and the property has been in decline since. Our family still owns "Isle of Pines" and we reside on Dockham Shore.

Amazing history lesson!! It sounds a little like the "Kellermans" resort in the Catskills immortalized in the movie "Dirty Dancing." I'm sure lots of happy memories were made there.

The Breeze
Wave 'cuz I'll be wavin' back

My family bought Mountain View Farm in 1934 and after some research found the property had been a Grant from the the Kings spool it became the Kings Grant Inn. Over the next 8 -9 years it became one of the top places to go for dinner or corporate meetings. Guests would come by train and stay for the summer also groups of employees from such businesses as I J Fox in Boston would come by the bus load for 2+ weeks. My father was the King, my mother the queen, my sister the princess and I was the prince, this is where I grew up. In 1945 we sold the Kings Grant to two couples, one was named Carlson, the both came with their inlaws, they did not own it very long, they sold it to Ralph and Margaret Krause, they turned it into a first date resort that had a wonderful reputation. When they sold the Grant it went down hill and was sad to see. At one point the bank owned it and it went to the auction, a lot of the rooms were condemned. I did have some happy memories there. The info that was posted was from when Ralph Krause owned it. I live in Rhode Island now and my son, who lives in Florida saw the post and sent it to me. Someone mentioned the toboggan slide. My dad built it and it was quite a thrill going down the slide and staying in the built up trail thru the field then ending up by the woods.

Interesting info. Thank you so much for the details.