Buttonwood Inn on Mt Surprise Room 1 – North Conway, NH

History of the Landmark

The Saco River supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000 people in thirty-five towns; and historically provided transportation and water power encouraging development of the cities of Biddeford, Saco, and the towns of Fryeburg and Hiram. The name "Saco" comes from the Eastern Abenaki word [sakohki], meaning "land where the river comes out" Saco (soko) is Abenaki for "towards the south".

According to the legend, the wife and infant son of Squando, chief of the Saco tribe, were traveling by canoe near the mouth of the river when they encountered three rowdy, drunken English sailors. The sailors allegedly made a few bets, then snatched the baby from his mother and threw him into the river to see if Native American babies were natural swimmers as some claimed they were.

The mother rescued her baby, but he died a few days later. The grieving Squando, who was said to have great spiritual powers, put a curse on the Saco River, saying that every year after, three white people would drown in the river. Some historical accounts state that the death of Squando’s son, which is said to have occurred in 1675, marked the end of peaceful relations between the settlers and the Native Americans living in that region.

Tad Baker, historian, and archaeologist at the York Institute Museum in Saco (now the Saco Museum), offers a different perspective on the legend. Early historical accounts describe an incident on the Saco that led to a Native American baby’s death, but there is no mention of the curse until about 1880. Said Baker, “I think the legend of the curse might have sprung up, as some other legends did, during what we call the Colonial Revival era, when it was popular to romanticize events that took place in the Colonial period.”

The Saco River may seem hidden compared to other destinations around Maine but remains a legacy of rich industry, agriculture, and transportation for its surrounding community. The Saco flows mostly southeast for about 125 miles, originating at the highest peak in the northeast, Mount Washington. As runoff comes down Mount Washington, it fills Saco Lake, a small body of water in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire. The river continues and eventually empties into the Atlantic Ocean below Biddeford and Saco, Maine.

Inn Policies

Before your stay, please review our policies:

• Rates - The Buttonwood Inn on Mt. Surprise is dedicated to making each guest stay special. If you have special requests or questions regarding this reservation, please contact the Inn. Rates are for single and double occupancy and our delicious "homemade from scratch" breakfast as well as a selection of homemade and locally baked goods in the late afternoon. Rates are subject to NH rooms and meals taxes.
• Check-In/Check Out - Anyone wishing to check-in before 4PM will be charged an extra days stay. Please keep in mind that a small Inn such as the Buttonwood Inn on Mt Surprise usually has very minimal staff. Hence, time is needed to fully expedite cleaning. If arriving AFTER 9 PM, call to make arrangements for leaving a key for you 603-356-2625. Please keep in mind that with minimal staff of a small Inn it is difficult to be available until late hours when breakfast prep begins at 6AM. CHECK-OUT TIME: 10:30 AM.
• Cancellation - A deposit of 50% of the total cost is required upon making your Reservation. The Buttonwood Inn on Mt Surprise is a privately owned small property where every guest reservation is both important and special to us. If your travel plans change and you must cancel your reservation, please call us at least 21 days prior to your arrival date to cancel your reservation. If cancelled beyond 21 days prior to your stay you will receive a full refund less a $45.00 administrative fee. In the unlikely event that you must cancel with less than 21 days notice, shorten your stay or check out early, please understand that we must ask you to take responsibility for your entire reservation. In all instances you may however, apply the deposit to a future booking. Unlike some hotels, we do not “overbook” our rooms. We hold guest reservations for the dates our guest’s request. Thus, we need to refuse other potential guests. As a result, if a guest leaves earlier than their reservation calls for or they do not show up for their reservation, they will be charged for the entire reservation. Gift Certificates are non-refundable. Please keep in mind some on-line booking agencies require you to cancel through their site and you are subject to their payment and deposit policies. All Rates are for Double Occupancy Only. Additional guests are NOT accepted except for Room 6 where Occupancy is 2 adults and 2 kids only.
• Parking - Parking is available in our large parking lot. There is an unloading and loading zone in front of the porch upon arrival and departure.
• Minimum Night Stays - Two-night stays are required for all reservations.
• Meals - At our Bed and Breakfast, we offer a complete gourmet breakfast experience. Each morning only one entrée is available alternating between savory and sweet options, served from 8:00 to 9:00 am daily. For guests who need to depart before our regular breakfast hours, we are happy to prepare a travel breakfast, provided we receive a minimum of 24 hours' notice. Additionally, we treat our guests to homemade and locally baked goods around 4:00 pm each day.
• Children - We welcome children of all ages. There will be an additional charge of $75 per night, per room, per child.
• Pets - Even though we have had rescue dogs of our own, we do not accept pets at our inn. However, if you plan to travel with your pet, you can reserve an overnight stay at Albany Pet Care located in Albany, NH about 20 minutes from our inn. We have left our dog there on many occasions when we travel and he is well cared for and contentedly happy when we pick him up upon our return. Please go to the Albany Pet Care website for more information on overnight stays and day care.
• Smoking/Vaping - The Buttonwood Inn on Mt Surprise offers a smoke-free environment in the interior of the inn. Please ask us where the designated area is outside of the inn. For safety reasons and out of courtesy to other guests, smoking is not allowed in the inn. If any of the contents of a room have been contaminated or damaged due to smoking, a $150 cleaning/repair fee will be charged.