From Fiction to Reality

As you may know, The Baldpate Inn was named after the fictional mountain getaway described in Earl Derr Biggers' 1913 novel Seven Keys to Baldpate. The Mace family, the original owners and builders of the inn, chose the name "Baldpate" after Biggers visited their lodge and marveled at the resemblance between his imagination and the real property.

So, in 1917 The Baldpate Inn was born!

I have always found the story of the Baldpate's namesake funny and fascinating. Here is a rare case of fiction becoming reality. If it weren't for the Seven Keys to Baldpate novel, there would be no Inn, no Key Room, and none of the rich history that goes along with it. So today, I'd like to celebrate the inspiration behind our amazing collection: Biggers' 1913 novel.

In our Library, we have several first editions of Seven Keys to Baldpate, in various conditions of wear and tear. As you can see, some of the hard covers are faded, spines warped, and pages crumbled. One of our books features a lovely watercolor drawing of the book's characters, dated 1912.

Through the years, these books were presented to the Mace family as gifts from friends and guests. Today they live on as a reminder of the deep-rooted history accompanying this little old mountain inn and museum. If you've ever dreamt of living in a storybook, this is surely the place to be!

Written by Danielle New
Museum Curator