Great Article about Gilbertsville!!

Thank you Chuck D'Imperio for the nice article about Gilbertsville!

By Chuck D'Imperio | Contributing writer

The Major's Inn is a stunning 1897 Tudor-style structure in the tiny Otsego County village of Gilbertsville (population under 500). The village sits in the Butternut Valley.  It might be the most magnificent building of its kind "off the beaten path."

"This building was constructed in 1897 for Major James L. Gilbert. It operated as an inn and hotel for many years," Cecilia Rowe told me. She is the executive director of the Major's Inn  Foundation.

"The building was in pretty bad shape by the time we came along, but we could all see the beauty in it. Obviously it is a massive place. We have 52 rooms and five fireplaces on the first floor alone. They all work, but we don't use them, however, because they can can get a little messy," she chuckled.

"The rooms on the second floor are all fitted as bedrooms and suites, but we no longer accommodate overnight guests. We do have a full calendar of public and private events. Weddings are the most popular."

A pair of lions, original to the inn's beginning, welcome (or guard) the entrance way.

Each of the many rooms are set up as if to welcome overnight guests.

There are several smaller dining rooms off the larger ballroom.

"The ballroom is a masterpiece of beautiful woodwork. It can hold well over 100 people for a party," she said.

On the day I visited, Major's Inn was hosting its annual quilting show. The room was filled from floor to ceiling with dazzling quilts. This colorful display gave the old inn an air of fun and excitement.

Hundreds come through the inn during this show, the foundation's largest fundraiser.

"We have a museum dedicated to Gilbertsville and the Major's Inn on the second floor," Rowe said. "We have many items from the earliest days of the inn including old photographs, menus, shaving mugs and soap, and more."

I asked Rowe what her favorite item was. "The tuxedo! It belonged to one of the early Gilbert family members and it is quite stylish. We even have the top hat," she said.

Across the street from the inn is the block-long business district of this small village. On this block you will find a post office (1889), an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, a country store and a book shop. At the end of the street is the 1800s Gilbertsville Free Library (it was the first one in the county). There is also a quaint village green which features a Civil War monument, a cannon and a large American flag. It is the perfect touch for this charming little map dot.

The village green anchors the southern end of the village.

Cecelia Rowe, known to all as CeCe, has given many years to this venerable part of Gilbertsville's history.

"I have been volunteering for 35 years and have been the head of the foundation since 1986. I love this beautiful old place. So much beauty and history. People come from as far away as Florida and California, and they are just amazed at what our little community has right here. It is always said that "the inn is the heart of the village." I believe that and the proof is right here at the Major's Inn."