Beekman Arms Inn
The Beekman Arms Inn is a historic lodging and hospitality property in Rhinebeck, New York, tracing its origins to a 1704 travelers' inn.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Beekman Arms Inn is a historic inn in the village of Rhinebeck, New York. It is commonly marketed together with the nearby Delamater Inn as the Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn. The Beekman Arms occupies the historic building at 6387 Mill Street, while the Delamater Inn is associated with the Henry Delamater House on Montgomery Street and includes seven guest houses arranged around a courtyard. Together, the properties form a hospitality business built around historic accommodation, regional heritage, dining, private functions, and destination travel in the Hudson Valley. The property traces its history to 1704, when William Traphagen established the Traphagen Tavern at the crossroads of the early Rhinebeck settlement, then known as Ryn Beck. In 1766, his grandson Arent Traphagen moved the tavern to the site where the King's Highway met the Sepasco Trail. The location became especially important during periods when the Hudson River was closed to travel by winter conditions. The inn served as a stage-house for coaches, and stables were maintained so horses could be changed during journeys. A roadside spring also supplied a well that became known locally as the town pump. During the late eighteenth century, the property was known as the Bogardus Tavern after its purchase by Everardus Bogardus. Its location made it a gathering place for travelers, military personnel, politicians, and other public figures. Accounts of the inn's history associate it with Revolutionary-era figures including George Washington, Philip Schuyler, Benedict Arnold, and Alexander Hamilton. In 1775, the Fourth Regiment of the Continental Army drilled on land near the tavern. After the King's Highway became part of the country's Post Road, the inn remained connected to the growing regional transportation and political networks. The property changed hands and names repeatedly. Asa Potter acquired it in 1802, after which it was known as Potter's Tavern. During the 1804 New York gubernatorial contest, General Morgan Lewis used the inn as his campaign headquarters, while Aaron Burr operated from another Rhinebeck tavern. The property later came into the possession of Captain Jacques, a former river sloop captain, and became known as Jacques' Tavern. Martin Van Buren was among the political figures associated with the establishment. In the twentieth century, the inn continued to develop as both a lodging property and a historic venue. Tracy Dows undertook a substantial renovation in 1918 and added a ballroom. The writer Thomas Wolfe reportedly made repeated visits and extended stays at the inn, associations later connected with the setting and inspiration of his 1935 novel Of Time and the River. In the 1980s, a greenhouse room was added to the front of the ballroom. Charles LaForge Jr. acquired the inn in 1958, and in 1979 he and business partner Timothy Toronto acquired the Delamater House and renovated it into an expanded lodging complex. George Banta Sr. purchased both properties from LaForge in 2002. Since 2006, the Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn has belonged to Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The inn presents itself as America's oldest continuously operated hotel, a historical distinction that is a central part of its identity and marketing. Its broader brand position is based on continuity, architectural character, Hudson Valley travel, and association with American political, literary, military, and transportation history. Current ownership, executive leadership, financial performance, and corporate structure are not identified in the supplied reference material.
History
The history of the Beekman Arms Inn begins in 1704, when William Traphagen established a travelers' inn at the crossroads of the Rhinebeck settlement, then called Ryn Beck. The tavern served people moving through the Hudson Valley at a time when roads, river travel, and seasonal conditions shaped regional commerce. In 1766, Traphagen's grandson Arent moved the establishment to its present Mill Street location, where the King's Highway crossed the Sepasco Trail. Because winter conditions could restrict travel on the Hudson River, the road became an important land route, and the inn operated as a stage-house with stables for changing horses. A spring beside the road supplied a well that became known as the town pump. The property later entered a period in which it was called the Bogardus Tavern, following its acquisition by Everardus Bogardus. The tavern's position on a major route made it a gathering place for military and political activity. Historical accounts associate it with George Washington, Philip Schuyler, Benedict Arnold, and Alexander Hamilton. In 1775, the Fourth Regiment of the Continental Army drilled on the lot near the tavern. Following American independence, the King's Highway became part of the country's Post Road, while Rhinebeck continued to grow as a town and transportation center. Ownership and naming continued to change. After Everardus Bogardus died in 1799, the tavern passed to his son Benjamin. Asa Potter purchased it from Benjamin in 1802, and the business became known as Potter's Tavern. During the 1804 New York gubernatorial contest, General Morgan Lewis used the inn as his campaign headquarters, while Vice President Aaron Burr based his campaign at the nearby Kip Tavern. After Potter's death in 1805, the property passed to Captain Jacques, a former river sloop captain, and became Jacques' Tavern. It remained a place where politicians and travelers met; Martin Van Buren was reported to have been a frequent guest. The inn's later history combines preservation with adaptation. In 1918, owner Tracy Dows carried out a major renovation and added a ballroom. Dows's son, Olin Dows, later became an Army artist and painted a mural about Rhinebeck's beginnings for the local post office. The writer Thomas Wolfe visited the inn repeatedly and stayed for extended periods; these visits have been associated with the background of his 1935 novel Of Time and the River. The property also continued to serve public figures and civic occasions. In 1957, it hosted New York Governor W. Averell Harriman during events connected with the dedication of the Kingston–Rhinecliff Bridge. Charles LaForge Jr. purchased the inn in 1958. In 1979, LaForge and business partner Timothy Toronto acquired the nearby Delamater House, renovating it and developing a courtyard complex. The combined operation subsequently broadened beyond the original inn building. A greenhouse room was added to the front of the Beekman Arms ballroom during the 1980s. George Banta Sr. acquired both the Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn from LaForge in 2002. The properties are now presented under the Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn identity. The Beekman Arms remains based in the historic Mill Street building, while the Delamater Inn centers on the Henry Delamater House on Montgomery Street and includes seven guest houses around a courtyard. Since 2006, the combined property has been a member of Historic Hotels of America, the National Trust for Historic Preservation's program for historic hotels. The business claims to be America's oldest continuously operated hotel. Its heritage story also highlights visits and appearances involving Horace Greeley, William Jennings Bryan, Benjamin Harrison, Levi P. Morton, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt, who lived nearby at Hyde Park, was described as concluding each of his campaigns for governor and president with a speech from the inn's front porch. These historical associations, together with preserved architecture and event facilities, form the core of the brand's modern positioning.
- 2006
Membership in Historic Hotels of America
[1]The Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn joins Historic Hotels of America, a National Trust for Historic Preservation program.
- 2002
George Banta Sr. acquires both properties
[1]George Banta Sr. purchases the Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn from Charles LaForge Jr.
- 1980
Greenhouse room is added
[1]A greenhouse room is added to the front of the Beekman Arms ballroom during the 1980s.
- 1979
The Delamater House joins the operation
[1]Charles LaForge Jr. and Timothy Toronto acquire and renovate the Delamater House, developing a courtyard complex associated with the inn.
- 1958
Charles LaForge Jr. purchases the inn
[1]Charles LaForge Jr. becomes the owner of the Beekman Arms.
- 1918
Major renovation and ballroom addition
[1]Owner Tracy Dows substantially renovates the property and adds a ballroom.
- 1802
Asa Potter acquires the inn
[1]Asa Potter purchases the property from Benjamin Bogardus, beginning its period as Potter's Tavern.
- 1775
Continental Army regiment drills near the tavern
[1]The Fourth Regiment of the Continental Army drills on the Bogardus lot near the inn.
- 1766
The tavern moves to the present site
[1]Arent Traphagen relocates the tavern to the intersection of the King's Highway and Sepasco Trail, where the Beekman Arms building remains located.
- 1704
Traphagen Tavern is established
[1]William Traphagen establishes a travelers' inn at the crossroads of the Rhinebeck settlement, creating the origin of the present hospitality business.
Products and positioning
A heritage hospitality brand offering historic lodging and event services in Rhinebeck, differentiated by its claimed 1704 origins, preserved buildings, Hudson Valley setting, and associations with American history and literature.
Historic hotel accommodation
Beekman Arms Inn rooms
Guest accommodation in the historic Beekman Arms building on Mill Street. The lodging product is centered on the property's preserved architecture, long operating history, and location in Rhinebeck's historic village environment.
Historic hotel accommodation · 1979
Delamater Inn guest rooms
Accommodation associated with the Henry Delamater House on Montgomery Street. The Delamater Inn extends the brand beyond the original tavern building and forms part of the combined Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn operation.
Guest-house accommodation · 1979
Courtyard guest houses
Seven guest houses arranged around a courtyard at the Delamater property. They provide an alternative lodging format within the historic inn's broader accommodation campus.
Hospitality and private events · 1918
Ballroom and event facilities
The inn's event offering is associated with the ballroom added during the 1918 renovation and later improvements, including a greenhouse room added during the 1980s. The facilities support social, civic, and private hospitality uses.
Brand decisions
2006
Historic Hotels of America membershipStrategyBackground
The property emphasized its heritage identity and preservation credentials within the historic-hotel sector.
Action taken
The Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn joined Historic Hotels of America.
Aftermath
Membership strengthened the property's association with formal historic-hotel recognition and preservation-oriented tourism.
1979
Expansion through the Delamater HouseStrategyBackground
The operators sought to broaden the historic inn operation beyond the original Beekman Arms building.
Action taken
Charles LaForge Jr. and Timothy Toronto acquired and renovated the Henry Delamater House and developed a courtyard complex.
Aftermath
The Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn became a combined lodging operation with additional guest houses.
1918
Major property renovation and ballroom constructionOtherBackground
Under Tracy Dows, the inn was modernized while retaining its role as a historic lodging property.
Action taken
The property was extensively renovated and a ballroom was added.
Aftermath
The ballroom became part of the inn's long-term event and hospitality infrastructure.
Sources2 sources
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