One Fountain Street, PO Box 42, Clinton, NY 13323
315-859-1392
Preserve the Past for the Future

The Othniel Williams Home/Hotel Ades/Alexander Hamilton Inn

21 West Park Row

     The Othniel Williams home at 21 West Park Row was begun in the mid-1820's and completed about 1832. The brick sections were the two main parts of the original residence which was in the Williams family until 1938 when it was purchased by a family from Utica, William F. and Ruth W. Newton. He was an attorney.

     Extensive gardens extended west to the New York and Ontario railroad. The gingko biloba tree in the Great American parking lot is all that survives the gardens. A carriage house that was on the north rear border was removed, piece by piece, and rebuilt at the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown and rests there today next to Bump Tavern.

     Othniel S. Williams, son of Othniel, was a prominent Clintonian, lawyer, judge, civic leader, entrepreneur, and Hamilton College graduate and later treasurer of the College who occupied the home with his family from his father's death in 1832.

     President Grover Cleveland and his wife spent a night there during Clinton's centennial celebration in July 1887. Cleveland had lived in Clinton a few years when he was a teenager.

     From 1942 to 1945 Adain Newell ran it as Hotel Ades. Then Edward W. Stanley and other Clintonians formed Kirkland Properties, Inc. which opened it for the first time as the Alexander Hamilton Inn in April 1946.

     Since then eight different owners have added a north and south wing and enlarged the rear kitchen area.

     Current owner, Patrick O'Connor, an Oriskany restauranteur, bought the property in October 1998, and, after extensive remodeling, opened April 2, 1999 as "O'Connor's Alexander Hamilton Inn."

Information in this article is as correct and factually accurate as possible. If you notice a fact that you believe is incorrect, please let us know. Comments are always welcome.