An evening aerial view of the Athenaeum Hotel in July 2024.
JULIA WEBER
Assistant Editor
Throughout the 2026 Summer Season, the Athenaeum Hotel has welcomed visitors not only to stay in the historic property but also to learn about the building’s history through the weekly Athenaeum Hotel History Lecture series. At 1 p.m. today in the Athenaeum Parlor, the hotel will host its final session of the season, which is free to attend.
“So many people come and go out of the hotel, and so many people see it as one of the iconic locations in Chautauqua,” Brittany Beckstrom, senior director of Athenaeum Hotel operations, said. “So many people don’t know the history about it. They see it as either a restaurant that they come to during the season or maybe they come here in and out for events, but there’s so much that has happened over 150 years, even at the hotel, that we really wanted to start highlighting some of the events that have happened here, some of the people that have stayed here and some of the major changes that have happened over the years.”
Scott Beresford, sales manager for the Athenaeum Hotel, said the building’s history is what sets it apart within the Institution’s grounds and merits being a philanthropic priority for Chautauquans.
“I think that the history alone merits it,” he said. “The fact that it is just a fantastic building the way it is from a preservation standpoint, but then also a functional purpose — the amount of people that come through the hotel over nine weeks, the revenue that it generates. I think that these are all things that make it worthy of having its own designated philanthropic goals.”
Beckstrom, Beresford and Cindy Hinsdale, lodging and sales supervisor for the Athenaeum, created the series of informational lectures as a way to simultaneously share the history of the landmark hotel with Chautauquans and to inform them about the philanthropic goals for the building.
Currently, the hotel is looking at the first phase of renovations, which includes foundational work. Beckstrom cited the front porch of the Athenaeum as an area of improvement, given its iconic viewpoint of Chautauqua Lake and its role as a convening space for Chautauquans.
Beckstrom also named repainting the hotel as a priority, both for cosmetic purposes and to maintain the exterior against the elements. Following the foundational work and repainting, she said common spaces throughout the hotel are priorities for renovation, in order to preserve the hotel’s history while also ensuring guests have access to modern amenities needed to comfortably enjoy their visit.
The Blue Room is shown during a tour of the Athenaeum Hotel’s facilities Aug. 12.
The research process to develop these lectures began after Beckstrom approached Hinsdale with the idea. Hinsdale combed through the Institution’s archives to see what she could find on the hotel’s history.
“I just naturally love this building and Chautauqua, so I did a deep dive into the archives and some of the letters, and [started] talking to people and their stories and started putting together the presentation to showcase it as more than a building,” Hinsdale explained.
Hinsdale said she relied heavily on archival copies of the Daily that chronicled the opening of the hotel, but there was little information available aside from information about rates, amenities and other practical considerations. Working with Historian Emeritus Jon Schmitz and Manager of the Oliver Archives Center Emily Carpenter, Hinsdale pieced together some of the hotel’s anecdotes to build out a fuller picture of its history.
Through the research process, both Hinsdale and Beresford said they enjoyed immersing themselves in the Athenaeum’s history. Uncovering new stories and clarifying common misconceptions allowed both individuals to gain a better sense of the building’s history and share those stories with Chautauquans.
“The stories are really what sells the place,” Hinsdale said. “From its beginnings, the Athenaeum was never meant to be a grand hotel with bigger and better amenities at any time.”
The hotel’s role, she said, was to act as a place to land amid attending Institution programming, and it has remained as such. For Hinsdale, it is important that Chautauquans have a space to enjoy Chautauqua. “We get a great mix of old and new Chautauquans here at the hotel looking for a safe place to enjoy the grounds,” she said.
An exhibit presenting the history of the second oldest Otis Elevator Lift which was installed in the hotel in the early 20th century.
Beresford explained that each lecture is intentionally open-ended. It begins with the historical context of both the hotel and the Institution and reviews the Athenaeum’s present-day role. Sometimes, the hosts will focus on more technical components of the hotel like square footage, number of employees and so forth and other times, they will look more closely at the stories and legacy. Ultimately, though, each lecture looks ahead to the Athenaeum’s future.
Beresford said although it can at times feel like “doing a really bad stand-up routine,” he strives to be as engaging and dynamic as possible in his presentations while also maintaining professionalism. Educating Chautauquans on the history of the hotel and its philanthropic priorities and affording a space to Chautauquans to ask questions are of equal importance for him.
“We can talk about the history and everything that’s going on, but we also wanted to make sure that there was time for people to ask questions about whatever it is they wanted to,” Beresford said, “which can be quite fun, because we don’t know what people are going to ask.”
Beresford said he believes people are most often surprised by the sheer scale of the hotel’s daily operations.
“I think [people] don’t realize the fact that we’re a hotel every single day for breakfast, lunch, dinner. There’s not a day to chill. It requires a constant staff on hand to do that. I think it’s good that people don’t necessarily even think about that, because it’s good to have a place that people know they can always go and grab something to eat or drink, but it takes a lot,” he said.
For Beckstrom, the historical tales are compelling, and the new ones created every year are, too. She said the Athenaeum differs from other hotels because it has a high percentage of returning visitors each season, and she enjoys watching visitors celebrate special moments and make memories at Chautauqua.
“There’s really nothing like the Chautauqua experience because you see the same people — a lot of times, every year — and you get to experience some of the best moments of their life, some of their weddings, their celebrations of life, coming through for family reunions. That’s something that’s so unique to Chautauqua and that you don’t see in normal vacation destinations,” Beckstrom said.
Beresford said he hopes the Athenaeum Hotel History Lecture series will serve the hotel in its philanthropic goals because people will have an opportunity to learn about its role on the grounds. He said, “I think we will see people begin to give gifts to this place and really take into consideration the importance of this building and what it means — not just for the people that work here and stay here, but for the health of the Institution.”
Ultimately, he views the lectures as a way to connect people with history, and he said he hopes opportunities to engage with the landmark building will continue long past this season.
“It’s a special place inside a special place,” Beresford said.
