For nearly 250 years, the Brandon Inn has been welcoming guests to share in the relaxed and friendly atmosphere you'd expect in a Vermont town known for its beautiful and varied architecture, fascinating history, and an ever-thriving artistic community. A historic country inn in the village of Brandon Vermont, the country inn, established in 1786, is included on the National Register of Historic Places. The Inn is one of Vermont's oldest, continuously operating hospitality businesses.
The present Brandon Inn retains much of its elegance and charm. What began as a one-story tavern in 1786 operated by Captain Jacob Simonds, the property was purchased in 1812 by Matthew Birchard who enlarged the building, adding a store onto the east side. The Inn became the Brandon House in 1822 when Francis June purchased it and enlarged again so it could accommodate one hundred guests. From 1860 until 1880 the Inn changed hands several times. In 1880, a devasting fire destroyed much of the building, however, the new Hotel Brandon, opened by Frank E Briggs and Charles M Bliss, rose from the ashes in 1892. Constructed in the Dutch Colonial style of marble, brick, and wood you see today, the Inn had all of the modern conveniences of the times: steam heat, electric lights, hot and cold running water, private baths and a telephone.
In 1905 the Inn, already somewhat rundown, fell into the hands of an absentee owner. In an unusual turn, a group of townspeople who were concerned about the deterioration of the building and how it was managed, purchased the hotel and the building that became the Annex in 1912. It was renamed The Brandon Inn. Many of the pieces of fine furniture in the common rooms were donated by the townspeople. In 1961, the Al and Trudy Mitroff family purchased the Inn and made major investments in the building and grounds over the next 22 years. Al and Trudy initiated Vermont Symphony concerts on the back lawn of the Inn and brought theater performances in the summer to an old barn behind the Inn that had been transformed for that purpose.
Richard Holtzman, a Chicago preservationist, bought the Inn from the Mitroff family in November of 1983. Another set of renovations were completed that conformed to the guidelines set by the US Department of the Interior because the Inn is registered as a national landmark. Louis and Sarah Pattis acquired the Inn in February of 1988 and owned it for three decades until they sold it to Mr. Joel MacClaren in 2020 who sold it to the current owners in April of 2023.
The Brandon Inn is one of 10 historic hotels listed by the Preservation Trust of Vermont References: 1905 date: The Valley Voice: April 7, 1976, article: The Brandon Inn: “A Living Record” 1912 date: The Rutland Herald, March 16, 1980, article: Brandon Inn Fights to Keep The Arts Alive (And Well) 1961 date: I was there. 1983 date: The Rutland Herald, November 2, 1983, article: Major Renovations Set for Brandon Inn
