Welcome to the new Blue Bear Inn!
534 Mountain Road, Francestown, NH 03043
The Inn at Crotched Mountain is now operating under the new name of Blue Bear Inn following the purchase of the property by Lorrie Deyelle Mailhot .
John and Rose Perry, the previous owners acquired the Inn in 1976, owning it for 49 years. They were the country’s longest running innkeepers and worked to preserve and respect its historical past providing a cozy comfortable inn.
Lorrie Deyelle Mailhot purchased the property in September of 2021 and immediately began the renovations and reopened the Inn. Renovations include refreshed furniture, interior wall, and floor restorations, as well as other important updates.
Lorrie’s long-time dream has been to run an inn. She visited the site of the Blue Bear Inn in July of 2021 and knew it was a perfect fit for her. As a New England resident for over 30 years, Lorrie’s philanthropy and love for the people here precedes her. It was only natural she continues to make a difference in New England, a place she has long called home.
When she’s not running the inn, Lorrie’s biggest hobby is sewing. Lorrie is not only a master at her craft, but she has been able to use her craft to make a difference in her community. As the founder of the Twirls for Girls program in Billerica, Lorrie and other sewists in the area were able to provide young girls at Toys for Tots and Shriners Hospital in Boston with an 18″ doll with ten coordinating, custom sewn doll outfits. Lorrie shares, “I need to have a charitable aspect at the inn,” and plans to make philanthropy a part of what she does as an innkeeper.
About the Blue Bear Inn
Blue Bear Inn features 13 bedrooms adorned with antiques to give it a New England Country Inn vibe. The inn features an elegantly urban farmhouse look with, jewel-like colors and paintings.
There are five working fireplaces in the home. The two dining rooms receive warmth from the original fireplaces. The built-in bookshelves in the Tavern feature some history of the inn. The original 1822 brick building stands as the core of the inn and it’s celebrating 200 years in 2022. In 1900, a wing was added to the building. That part of the home suffered damage from a fire but the owners rebuilt it in 1935.
Blue Bear Inn sits on a 63-acre stretch of land and features gorgeous views of the Piscataquog Valley. It sits on Crotched Mountain in Francestown, offering access to some of the best southern New Hampshire has to offer.
Along with being an ideal spot to visit and relax, the Blue Bear Inn hosts several activities including corporate events, sewing retreats and weddings. The inn offers many ways to spend your time including visiting the pool, cross country skiing and a host of other activities. There is also a restaurant on site as well as the Winslow Tavern.
Locate the Blue Bear Inn
From Boston/Providence:
Take 93 North to Rt 101W just before Manchester N.H.,Follow 101 to Rt
114 North to Goffstown. Rt 13 to New Boston, Rt 136 to Francestown. Follow Rt 47 for 2 1/2 miles to Mountain Road. Turn left onto Mountain Road. The Inn is 1 mile up on the right.
From New York/Hartford:
Take I-91 N to Exit 3 at Brattleboro, Vt. follow Rt 9 East thru Keene, NH. to Rt 31 South outside Antrim, continue on 31 S to Bennington, N.H. to Rt. 47. Follow Rt 47 for 4 1/2 miles. Turn right onto Mountain Road. The Inn is 1 mile up on the right.
by NH Rocks