The Chase House
The Chase HouseThe war was costing the Union $2.5 million a day by 1863, a price that would total more than $6 billion before it was over. The man responsible for that money was Salmon Chase, a former Ohio governor with no financial background who competed with Lincoln for the Republican presidential candidacy. When Chase lost, Lincoln appointed him secretary of the treasury.
Lincoln valued Chase’s competence and the political savvy that enabled him to get finance bills through Congress. But their friendship ended when Lincoln learned Chase had secretly agreed to run against him in 1864. However, Lincoln later appointed him chief justice of the Supreme Court, a position he held until his death in 1873.
Chase was born in this Federal-style house, in what is now the dining room, in 1808.
The Chase House has been restored and now is a handsome inn, located on the Connecticut River and shaded by stately trees. The furnishings are elegant and the full breakfast served up by innkeeper Barbara Lewis prepares guests for a morning of sightseeing.
Address: Rte. 12A, Cornish, NH 03745; tel: 603-675-5391.
Accommodations: Six double rooms, four with private baths, and two rooms with shared bath.
Amenities: Air-conditioning, off-street parking, canoeing, hiking, and cross-country skiing on trails on the property.
Rates: $$-$$$. Visa, MasterCard, and personal checks.
Restrictions: No children under twelve, no pets, no smoking.