Historic Gorham inn gets new owners, name
GORHAM — Two couples have taken ownership of a historic South Street inn, rebranding it as the Folsom Inn & Spa and weaving its 1825 fire legend into the guest experience.
Lisa Andrade and Philip McCormack, along with Jen and Elijah Whitehead, acquired the property from Kathy Powell for $1.2 million last fall, with the transfer completed earlier this year. Powell, who operated the lodging mostly solo for over eight years, cited a desire to relocate near family in Virginia and welcome granddaughterhood as her reasons for selling.
“I became a grandmother two years ago, and it was time for the inn to be handed off, for the legacy to move on,” Powell said. “I feel very confident (these two couples) are going to succeed.”
Before closing, the new proprietors immersed themselves in the building’s past, uncovering its iterations as an orphanage, family home, and inn. The 1825 blaze that destroyed Dr. Dudley Folsom’s residence emerged as a focal point. Local lore holds that servant Jane Robinson, rumored to be angry over being barred from seeing the Marquis de Lafayette visit, faced arson charges but was acquitted; some records suggest she actually roused the Folsoms to safety. Hundreds of neighbors helped rebuild the home by July Fourth of that year.
The fire narrative inspired the rename and a suite of historical guestrooms. The Mrs. Folsom chamber features pale blue-and-white décor and a great blue heron motif, while Dr. Folsom’s suite is darker and more contemplative. Jane Robinson’s room will burst with bold hues and French accents referencing her alleged Lafayette fascination. A reporters-themed room and the Grand Folsom suite, where Powell once resided, complete the collection.
“Every time we came through this room and the more we learned about the Folsom family, this felt very Mrs. Folsom,” Andrade said.
Operational shifts include eliminating overnight meal service, though the kitchen will host catered functions such as showers and corporate gatherings. A first-floor spa room with a side-door exit near the parking area will open next month, with a second, head-focused spa slated for winter. The couples also envision using the back patio and courtyard for municipal events.
“We would love for this space to be used for the town and for people here in Gorham to be able to enjoy it,” Andrade said.
Family ties run deep: the Whiteheads’ three teenagers will work the property, including 14-year-old Zoe, while Andrade and McCormack’s five children include 18-year-old Sofia, who previously served the inn under Powell.
“It’s really such a family thing,” Whitehead noted.
Rooms are currently bookable for select summer weekends, with the owners admitting they had hoped to keep the purchase quiet—though passersby have already spotted Adirondack chairs on the porch and recognized them.
“There are just so many stories to this place that we can tell,” Whitehead said. “As we’re being here and changing it, the story is coming even more alive.”
