Tourism Entrepreneurs – Building Hotels for Weary Travellers

The tourism economy of Metis began in earnest in 1858 with the opening of the first hotel. Prior to that weary travellers in need of a bed and a meal had to content themselves with a bed in a private home and a seat at the owner’s kitchen table.

Black and white photograph of the interior of the vast lobby of the Boule Rock Hotel. Entirely made of wood, the lobby is bright and tidy. In the center of the space, a carpet covers the wooden floor and we can see a portion of the fireplace mantle made of field stones. Rattan armchairs and tables are distributed throughout the room. Bouquets of flowers are also found on most of the tables and on the floor. Two men and one woman are also seen. The woman is sitting at a desk and seems to be writing a letter. One of the men is sitting at a console table and appears to be reading. The last man sits in an armchair by the fireplace reading his newspaper.

A rare glimpse into hotel life in the 1920s is offered by this photography of the interior of the Boule Rock Hotel.

The early hotels were rustic affairs. Built entirely of wood, internal plumbing was still a long way off. But they compensated with good food, generous hospitality and occasional entertainment. Along with the Macniders and the Astles, the Turriffs pioneered tourism in Metis. Their entrepreneurship and building prowess transformed a sleepy shoreline village into one of the province’s most popular watering holes. The first Turriff hotel was advertising rooms as early as 1858. Turriff Hall was erected in 1871.

Black and white photograph of the Cascade hotel. The three-storey wooden hotel is located at the top of a steep cliff. The cliff is covered with a forest of spruce and white birch trees. At the foot of the cliff is the rocky beach of Metis. Between the bottom of the cliff and the beginning of the beach there is a small boathouse and changing cabins. Both buildings are made of wood.

The Cascade Hotel had stunning views of the St. Lawrence and access to the sandy beach below.

There are few surviving vestiges of the once thriving hotel economy. Most of the rambling wooden hotels were demolished. Several burned to the ground. Today, the hotels are celebrated with historical plaques that tell the story of the entrepreneurial families who built them and the generations of visitors who made them their summer abode.

Postcard with a black and white photograph of the Killiecrankie Inn. In the foreground, a dirt road bordered by a spruce forest. Between the spruce trees on the left side of the road appears Killiecrankie Inn. The inn is a long 2-storey building made of wood. The facade has a veranda invaded by a vine.

Killicrankie is the name of the historic inn at Leggatt’s Point, the only surviving wooden hotel from the early days of tourism in Metis.

Metis still welcomes tourists. Two auberges bookend the village. Camping Annie is one of the most popular campsites in the region, home to a large population of seasonal residents and itinerant campers. Many private homes have become part of the modern tourism economy, offered to friends or strangers who make Metis their home for a day, a week, a month or the entire season.

Postcard showing a black and white photograph of the entrance of the Park Wood Hotel. The hotel is a large three-story house with a one-story annex. The hotel is made entirely of wood and is surrounded by a spruce forest. In the foreground of the photograph is the access road to the hotel. On a wire mesh fence is the hotel's wooden sign, which says Park Wood Hotel Log Cabin Camp.

The Parkwood Hotel offered visitors rustic accommodation and stunning views of the lighthouse.

The Landscape – Water to Hilltop The Architecture of Metis Buildings and Their Builders