Gauthier's Lake Flower Cabins, Lake Placid Road, Saranac Lake, Route 86
Sign reads: Gauthier's Cabin Court, 24 Units. Photograph by Bernard M. Acosta
On the reverse: "Gauthier's Lake Flower Cabins, Saranac Lake, Lake Placid Road, Route 86. 24 single and double units wit private showers, all steam heated and screen porches, private bathing beath, boating and fishing. ample grounds well shaded. Restaurants adjacent. Telephone Saranac Lake 442."
Courtesy of the Adirondack Experience.
Address: 488 Lake Flower Avenue
Old Address: 143 Lake Flower Avenue
Other names: Gauthier's Motel, Marcolini Cottage
Year built: c. 1931
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, June 26, 1964
Gauthier's Motel Sold to Fortune, Moody
Mrs. Josephine Burke announced today the sale of Gauthier's Motel on Lake Flower Avenue to Andrew Fortune and Milo Moody, Jr.
Sale price was not disclosed, but Mrs. Burke said, "it is a matter of record that over $300,000 is invested in this property."
The growth of Gauthier's Motel could be used as an accurate gauge for the growth of the motel business in any resort which is the result of better highways more automobiles and more leisure time for working Americans.
Mrs. Burke married Mathew Gauthier in 1931 and they started in the business when Mr. Gauthier built cabins which they later sold to Mr. and Mrs. George Lambos, at 154 Lake Flower Avenue.
The Gauthiers, in 1939, bought the property at 143 Lake Flower Avenue, site of the present motel, which contained two houses and a service station. Mr. Gauthier tore down one house, remodeled the other and built 2, 4-room cabins, and continued to build additional units and in 1949 they were operating a 24-unit motel business.
Matty Gauthier then designed and was building, with his brother Eldred, the large house now part of the motel when he fell from a scaffold and was killed. The house was completed by Donat Gendron with 7 more units attached and became a showplace of the North Country and was featured In a magazine, Better Homes and Gardens.
Mrs. Gauthier continued to operate the motel and in 1953 she married Francis Burke of AuSable Forks.
Mr. and Mrs. Burke built the present motel in 1957 and in I960 added 4 more units and a 25 ft. by 50 ft. heated swimming pool. The motel now has 33 units.
In 1954 Mr. and Mrs. Burke built Burke's Motel at 15 Lake Flower Avenue which has 14 units and a swimming pool and a home. Mrs. Burke will continue to operate this motel. Mr. Burke died in Dec. 4, 1962.
The striving business started from one cabin 25 years ago by a native of Saranac Lake will continue with the name Gauthiers by two other families that reach back into Saranac Lake history. The Moody family was one of the first to settle in Saranac Lake and the Fortune family name is well recorded in Saranac Lake business history.
Mr. and Mrs. Fortune own Fortunes Funeral Chapel and Mr. and Mrs. Moody own Moody's Boat Sales and Service. Mrs. Fortune and Mrs. Moody will manage the motel.
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