Quick Update: Several local residents pooled their resources and re-opened the Black Lantern in 2017. It’s now a great farm-to-table restaurant and one of our favorite places to eat!
Last week we mentioned the loss of the English Rose Inn. Just a month after it vanished, Montgomery, Vermont lost another historic inn, The Black Lantern Inn.
The closing of the Black Lantern Inn was significantly less dramatic than the fire that razed the English Rose Inn, but its departure from the local restaurant and inn scene is just as notable.
The Black Lantern Inn was founded as an inn in 1803. The building is actually on the National Register of Historic Places. Formerly known as Montgomery House, It was owned for two decades by Montgomery residents Allan & Rita Kalsmith, but since they sold the historic building, it quickly passed through a series of owners and now has closed its doors. The current owner plans to use the building simply as a residence for now.
It would be very easy to pass of the loss of 24 rooms in one month as a consequence of Jay Peak Resort’s overly aggressive building of condos and hotel rooms at the top of the mountain. Many have suggested just that. But given the causes of these two historic inns’ closing, it’s not valid. Yes, most of Jay Peak’s condos stay vacant except for holiday weeks, and yes, that’s a firm indication that the mountaintop is overbuilt, but there are factors that demonstrate that the hospitality business in Montgomery Center is quite vibrant.
First, there’s us. We’re having a record-setting year, and as any guest who’s waited until three days before the weekend can attest, we fill up every weekend during ski season, during the summer, and during fall foliage. In fact, the only weekends you can be guaranteed of getting a room in 2015 are in May and November. Otherwise, you’d do well to get online right now and make your reservation.
Second, there’s our next-door neighbors at The INN. They’re doing quite well and were recently noted in both a Travel Channel reality show and in the Montreal Gazette. Anyone who’s dined at The INN during ski season knows it’s a very busy place.
Restaurants in Montgomery Center (which is referred to throughout the state as “the fun side of Jay Peak”) are also busier than every this year. We’ve seen more people having to wait for tables at The Belfry, Bernie’s, the Snowshoe Pub, and the Big Jay Tavern than ever before.
It’s sad to see old friends like The Black Lantern Inn move on, but we’re glad so many are still around and doing well. During you next visit to Montgomery Center, make sure to stop in and visit them all.