A Brief History of the Hood House

The 19th Century

The story of the Hood House begins in 1889, just over 100 years before it became a bed and breakfast. It's eponymous builder, Thomas Hood was called from Laramie to build an Episcopalian church for the town of Saratoga, which was about to experience a boom due to a gold rush.

Mr. Hood found his skills so in demand that he closed up his shop in Laramie and moved his family to Saratoga in 1890. It wasn't until 1892 that he had the time to build a proper home for his growing family. Unfortunately for the Hoods, they were only able to enjoy the large Victorian beauty for a year before economic and other woes led to their return to the midwest. (Hood was from Spring Green, Wisconsin, and his bride Eva was from Trenholme, Quebec). Thomas Hood eventually settled his family in Chicago, where he became a dentist.

The 20th Century

The Hood House was home to several prominent Saratoga families over the years: the Dr. Adam Guthrie Burrell family (1894-1895); the Andrew Johnson Doggett family (1895-1899, 1900-1902) the Dr. Benjamin Burger family (1900); the Edward G. Ashley family (1902-1912); the Walter A. Pilon family (1913-1916); the Paul and Florence (Middlewood) Pilon family (1916-1923); the William E. Tilton family (1923-1934); the George Fryer family and the Charles Lee (and Clara Fryer) Wilcox family (1934-1980).

In 1985 Deborah Chastain purchased the house and, after extensive repair and restoration, opened the Hood House Bed and Breakfast. The Bed and Breakfast was closed for several years in the late 1990's.

And Into the 21st Century

In 2000, Carol Smith purchased and re-opened The Hood House Bed and Breakfast.