The Balsams To Auction Off Contents

Contents of the Balsams Grand Resort and Hotel, one of New Hampshire's handful of historic grand resorts, will be auctioned off Saturday, May 12, beginning at 9 a.m. at the North Country New Hampshire resort. Due to the large amount of items, the public is invited to attend preview days Thursday, May 10 from 10 a.m. 3 p.m. and Friday, May 11 from 10 a.m. 3 p.m.

Hundreds of unique items will be up for sale including: the complete bio-mass plant, a 96-seat chair lift, with cables and towers, and the chairs to be auctioned separately, fire hose, printing press, vintage barber's chair kitchen and dining equipment, antiques and collectibles, office furniture, and more than 300 complete bedroom sets.

The auction is in preparation for construction and renovation of the 150-year-old resort, which is currently closed. Balsams View, LLC, a partnership of New Hampshire North Country business leaders, Daniel Dagesse and Daniel Hebert, Jr., purchased the Balsams Grant Resort from the Tillotson Corporation in December 2011. The owners plan to keep historically important items, such as contents of the famous Ballot Room, where Dixville Notch residents have voted first, just after midnight, in the state's First-in-the-Nation Presidential Primary, for more than half a century. The Balsams will also retain certain pieces of historically significant art and furnishings, which it plans to use in the renovated hotel. The renovations are intended to bring the Balsams up to the standards demanded by modern-day travelers, such as wireless internet, updated television and data services, as well as improvements to the heating and cooling system. The Balsams Grand Resort is expected to re-open in July 2013.

We are excited to offer the public a chance to own a piece of history, said Hebert. The Balsams Grand Resort is on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's prestigious list of Historic Hotels in America.' We are committed to protecting the history and spirit of the Balsams' legacy, but also preparing for our upcoming renovation that will bring the Resort back to its full glory, with all of the modern amenities expected by today's traveler.

For more information on the auction and the items for sale, visit North Country Auctions at www.northcountry-auctions.com.

The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, located in Dixville Notch, NH, has been in operation for more than 150 years, offering guests fine dining, inviting accommodations, a Donald Ross golf course and unlimited recreational access to its nearly 8,000 acre property - in a setting surrounded by the tranquility and natural beauty of the rugged New Hampshire mountains.