Maine Lore: The Surprising History of The Solon Hotel

Whether it was for work or fun, if you have made frequent trips to Western Maine, there is a good chance that you have passed by The Solon Hotel dozens of times.

Located in the tiny town of Solon, the restaurant and hotel sits right on Route 201.  If you are headed from Central Maine to Bingham The Forks, or Jackman, you've definitely driven past it.  For many, it feels like the place has been there forever.  There's a good reason for that: as far as we're all concerned, it has been there forever.

It may be kind of hard to believe, but the establishment has been around for over 130 years!

Given it's age, it should not be a big surprise that the place has a lot of history to it!

The Fascinating History of The Solon Hotel

According to The Dead River website, the hotel was actually built on the site of an even older hotel.

Long before the Solon Hotel stood on this corner, the spot was already at the heart of town life. Back in the mid-1800s, the Caratunk House was Solon’s go-to hotel. By the 1870s, it had about 30 rooms, along with parlors where people could gather, visit, and conduct business. Then, around 1890, something pretty remarkable showed up: the area’s first telephone, right there on the hotel’s desk.

For a small rural river town, that phone line was a big deal. It connected Solon to the outside world and made the Caratunk House more than just a place to spend the night. It was a gathering place and a symbol of how the town was changing.

But that chapter came to a fiery end on October 31, 1893. A fire tore through the Caratunk House, destroying Solon’s social hub in a single night. The town hadn’t just lost a hotel. It had lost the place where people gathered, did business, visited with friends, and kept up with what was happening around town.

The town wasn't without a hotel for long, though.  Within a few months, Joel "Bert" Gray started construction on a new hotel on the foundation of the Caratunk House.  Gray's Tavern opened to the public in November of 1895.  This new hotel and restaurant was four stories tall, had a restaurant/bar, a ballroom on the top floor, and 30 guest rooms.

Over the years, there were many changes to the business.  Following Gray's death, his widow kept the business running.  She operated it as a boarding house and traveler's inn.

Vintage car with whitewall tires and spare wheel

In the 1940s, during a time when housing was hard to find, owners Secord & Westenberg converted many of the hotel’s rooms into longer-term apartments. The building became known as the Arnold Trail Apartments.

By the 1950s, the property shifted back toward its roots as a hotel. Henry Rulof refurbished the building and made improvements to the heating, plumbing, and lighting. He also focused on attracting hunters and anglers from outside the area, bringing the hotel back to its role as a place for visiting sportsmen.

Over the next couple of decades, the hotel changed hands several times, including ownership by Wilfred Morin, Joseph and Andrew Redmond, and Mrs. Amy Kincaid Jones. The names, signs, and menus may have changed, but the building remained an important gathering place in Solon.

By the 1960s and 1970s, the hotel had become a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. Raymond and Claudette Faucher, followed by Hollon and Hilda Shaw, used the upstairs for apartments while the first floor served as a tavern and restaurant. It was a practical way to keep the building busy and bring in steady income.

Then came the Maclean years. James Maclean bought the aging landmark in 1989 and would go on to become its longest-serving owner. The business became The Solon Hotel, Inc., with the first-floor tavern at the center of things. Live music, community events, food, and conversation kept the building active, even as the hotel rooms gradually became less of a focus.

In 2021, Faith and Bruce Goguen purchased the place and made some massive updates and renovations.

The Solon Hotel Now

Sadly, as of 2026, the hotel and restaurant have closed.  However, the place is for sale.  The right owner could bring new life to the property.  Get details HERE.