Basin Harbor 140 years anniversary badge

Celebrating 140 Years of Lake and Legacy

The Current Has Been
Flowing Since 1886

Meet the Hosts Who Carried
and Continue to Carry
the Current Forward.

Bob Beach Sr. standing beside a vehicle with dogs inside — Bob Beach Sr.

The Beach family standing together by the lake — Pennie Beach Bob Beach, Jr. Sarah Morris Dan Beach Merle Beach Wendy Beach

Allen Penfield Beach seated outdoors in a historic black and white photograph — Allen Penfield Beach

Long History Short

For 140 years, this place has been quietly becoming what it is. It grew the way good things do, slowly, deliberately, one season at a time. Pull up an Adirondack chair. Here's the short version.

Historic exterior photo of The Lodge at Basin Harbor

1882

The Lodge

Ardelia Beach buys the farm. Her first act: cut the windows out of the lodge and point the chairs at the lake. That view remains unchanged and home to our iconic Adirondack chairs.

1886

The Homestead

The Homestead is built in the resort’s earliest years. It is still standing. Still taking overnight guests. One of the oldest continuously operating structures on the property.

Historic photo of people walking through a field near the resort

Historic exterior photo of The Homestead building at Basin Harbor

Historic exterior photo of The Ground at Basin Harbor

Allen Penfeild Beach walking the historic gorunds

1909 - 1912

The Grounds

Allen Penfield Beach (AP) arrives and begins shaping the land, planting trees designed from his own UVM thesis on lakeside landscaping. The large maples and elms still standing today on Basin Harbor’s grounds are all his handiwork.

1912

The Farm

AP starts a fresh food farm on the property with vegetables, fruit, beef, chickens, turkeys, goats. This belief in feeding guests from the land never left and today Ardelia’s still sources fresh, local Vermont ingredients for every meal.

A Beach Family farmer leading two big Ox's caring hay stacks

One of the first Cottages built on the Basin Harbor Grounds with guest in lawn chairs

Historic photo of the second stone cottage for guest to stay at the Basin Harbor Inn

1920

The Cottages

AP begins building cottages by hand with each one different, no two alike, constructed from tree stumps and Vermont stone. Loyal guests of Basin Harbor could submit their own architectural drawings and AP would build it. They had a cottage of their own, waiting for them each summer. Canary. Treetop. Greystone. Still standing there today.

1940s

The Dance Hall

AP converts his hay barn into a social hall that hosts square dances, costume parties, live music. He understood early that the lake brought people to Basin Harbor, but it was the community that made them stay. Generations later, that ethos continues.

In the middle of a swingging dance party at the Basin Harbor Inn

Historic color photo of a small airplane on the grass at Basin Harbor

Historic aerial photo of the Basin Harbor airfield near the lake

Historic photo of guests walking near the Basin Harbor airfield

1960

The Airfield

Built by AP because he believed flying was the future of travel. Guests are now arriving by private plane. Today the airstrip is still active.

Today

700 Acres. One Lake.
140 Summers.

Basin Harbor is still exactly what Ardelia had in mind when she cut the windows out of that old lodge and pointed the chairs at the lake. A place worth coming back to.

View of Lake Champlain with boats and Adirondack chairs at Basin Harbor

Guests kayaking on the water at Basin Harbor

140 REASONS TO COME BACK.

ACTIVITIES THIS SEASON

This is the 140th season. We think that’s worth celebrating, on the water, on the course, at the table, and everywhere in between. Some of these are traditions you already know and some are new. All of them are better when you’re here.