The Bipolar Hotel AKA The Colgate Inn

Back in the 80's, after my Pennsylvania Paco stint...which is another story...I moved back to Sherburne, rented the apartment over the Big M and got a few bar tending jobs. I worked at the Sherburne Inn, under the ownership of Harry Young and after a few month's of dealing with his nonsense, I landed a job at the Colgate Inn, in Hamilton. I started out working day shifts behind the horseshoe bar and under the flying wings of a bronze Phoenix that hung behind it. I believe my old friend, Bob Benton made off with that bird when the horseshoe bar was removed for a larger, marble bar that was installed.
Being single and with no children at the time, I remember sitting after my shifts to relax and partake in a few cocktails and mostly, to watch the night shift girl, who was a Colgate student at that time, tend bar. Back in the eighties when the drinking age was 18, the little horseshoe bar in the back, right hand side of the Inn, was quite busy. This very intelligent and lovely blond college student by the name of Di, could pop out drinks like nobodies' business. She was amazingly fast at pulling the appropriate glass for highballs, sours, martinis etc., She could uncork a bottle of wine while shaking up a sour at the same time, while garnishing a row of drinks. She was a maniac behind that bar! I was mesmerized by her art in the measurement of alcohol and wines and it was there that I learned how to be a mixologist and not just a pretty girl behind a bar, pouring drafts.
Di are I are friends to this day. She still lives in Hamilton, teaching up on the hill at Colgate in the Geology department. She rocked as a bar tender, then turned to the love of rocks!
This was 30 or more years ago! Back then, I remember thinking, as the carpenters were gutting the upstairs bar room, "Why don't they put the bar back where it was originally, when the Inn was first built"? Which was in the front corner of the building, on the intersection of Madison and Payne. Many people have pondered this for years and finally, after the last four months of renovations, the bar is back where it should be...
The whole Inn is nearly completed and looks AMAZING. I walked thru the back door and just stood there, as I didn't know where I was! Where the kitchen once was is a warm, wood paneled dining room. The whole left side of the Inn that runs along Madison Street is now linked together for dining. The kitchen is now tucked into the heart of the building, where the lobby hallway once ran. And where the dark bar once was is now a side entry way into the building. The biggest surprise that actually drew tears to my eyes last night as my husband and I descended down the new, freshly stained steps into the bar, that was once called The Old Maroon, was the original stone work covered over for probably 70 years with carpeting. Overhead, the out dated, drop ceiling was taken down and arched ribbed beams were put in, which reminded me of the hull of a large, sea faring ship...upside down. I had written a song years ago about the current state of the building at that time and named the song The Bipolar Hotel. The song pretty much speaks for itself.
I'm simply thrilled that the ole gal has her party dress on and is back in her glory, being the shining gem of Hamilton.
There is still much landscaping to do and the wine library on the way into the upstairs bar has yet to be completed . In the air is a great feeling of happiness from the employees enjoying their new work place and a wonderful feeling of accomplishment from the many carpenters' still hard at work putting on their finishing touches of wainscoting and paint.
The Colgate Inn is back! I look forward to many more visits to this old friend and hopefully, I will be entertaining there this summer! Happily the Bipolar Hotel has finally been diagnosed and will continue to thrive as the heartbeat of this fine town I am so lucky to call home!