Fort William Henry announces big changes for historic Carriage House

Since the 70s it has been called Towers Hall with its twin towers overlooking Canada Street. Lake George Dinner Theatre began there, and the hall has hosted jam bands and honey festivals. Before that, it served as storage space, an automobile garage, and, in the 19^th century, a shelter for the horses and carriages of hotel guests. For the past two summers, it has been home to the Lake George Music Festival. By next summer, the historic Fort William Henry Carriage House will be opening with a new look and expanded purpose.

Fort William Henry announced it is beginning a renovation project this month that will transform the Carriage House into a wedding and business meeting venue that will hold 460 people in theatre-style seating and seat more than 300 for banquets. The new construction will highlight the high ceilings and post-and-beam elements of the structure. The remodel calls for a wraparound deck overlooking Lake George. The Carriage House will continue to be home to the Lake George Music Festival each August.

“What we really are investing in is the extraordinary beauty of Lake George. There is no place on Earth like Lake George. We are so fortunate to be stewards of this lake and this historic property.”

Fort William Henry Chair and CEO Kathryn Flacke Muncil

President of Fort William Henry Corp. Sam Luciano says customer demand for business meetings and conferences has rebounded strongly in the post-COVID era. Larger weddings are back in style, too. “For both weddings and business meetings, the Carriage House and the surrounding Fort property offer guests nice options to socialize both inside and outside,” Luciano says.

The Carriage House project is part of ongoing investments Fort William Henry Corp. has been making in the hotel. The first Fort William Henry Hotel (which was lost to fire) opened in 1855 making it the oldest resort on Lake George.  

According to an October press release, Fort William Henry has invested $5 million to renovate the rooms and public areas of its Grand Hotel and to overhaul its hotel kitchen and bar; $3 million to transform the Carriage House, and $1 million to renovate the Conference Center. Last year, the resort sold its Best Western Hotel at Exit 20 in Lake George and has been investing the $4.6 million in proceeds in the Grand Hotel and conference center.

Fort William Henry expects the Carriage House project to be completed by May 2023. Weddings already have been booked for the Carriage House for 2023 and 2024, according to Luciano.

Featured image: An architectural rendering of the renovated Carriage House. Image courtesy of Fort William Henry/Behan Communications.