Stamford, New York, United States
September 24, 2022
I recently visited the site of the former Westholm Hotel (later known as The Four Seasons), after my mom called me to let me know of it’s sudden collapse. In 2019, I was the last person to photograph the interior of The Westholm Hotel in Stamford, New York. My photograph was published in the local newspaper with a story about the hopes for restoration of the old hotel, though by that time, it was already too late to save the property.
I stood in front of the old building, which had given me so many childhood memories, and later in my adulthood, pictures and memories to fill my photography books. It saddens me that yet another location that filled my mind with snapshots and memories of my younger days will soon be demolished and forever lost due to the actions of others, or complete lack thereof.
It saddens me just how much history has been lost in that area, and is continuing to crumble before our eyes. At least we have these photographs to remember these former landmarks by.
A major part of my childhood centered around this building, as I was friends with the son of the owner at the time. My parents would go out to dinner there, and because my friends parents owned it, they would let us explore the upstairs hallways. I am saddened by what has happened to the old hotel; the worst part is that I was the last person to photograph the interior.