Learn the history of the Fireside Inn & Suites Bangor, how we grew, and the wonderful town of Bangor that we call home.
Prior to becoming Fireside Inn & Suites, the hotel had been operated as the Best Inn and was the Penobscot Inn for many, many years. Lafayette Hotels purchased the Penobscot Inn in 1995 and before that, the Inn had only one owner, the Russell Family.
Cornelius and John Russell built the Penobscot Inn in 1973. Prior to this venture the Russell family owned and operated the Bijou Theater, a focal point of Bangor life for decades.
In building the Penobscot Inn, the Russell brothers wanted a building that would be both functional and distinct. They commissioned local architectural legend Eaton W. Tarbell to design the Inn. Tarbell also designed the Bangor Auditorium, which is right across the street from the Best Inn, and the Bangor International Airport Terminal.
In 1975, the Russells invited John Geaghan to open Geaghan’s Roundhouse Restaurant and Lounge. The Geaghan family has been serving fine food and drink ever since. They have developed the restaurant and lounge into a local favorite.
The Russells, past and present, are known for their hard work, honesty, and Yankee industry. The Penobscot Inn, now the Fireside Inn, exists because of their vision and willingness to take a risk. John and Mary retired when they sold the Inn to Lafayette Hotels in 1995.
