Roehl’s Hotel was enlarged with an addition at the back and became a thriving resort due to the initiative of Otto Roehl (1862 – 1955) who later established the Grandview Lodge as well.The 46-room hotel was purchased by Jack Tresidder Sr. in 1919, who formally renamed it Hotel Torpitt because so many guests came from Toronto and Pittsburgh.In those early years, guests had to be brought across Sparrow Lake from the train station at Port Stanton. Hotel Torpitt featured baseball games and weekly dances, and had a resident pianist for several years in the 1930s.
Hotel Torpitt burned to the ground in May 1939 and was rebuilt in a record 23 days to open for the tourist season. It was renamed Torpitt Lodge and boasted a 6-hole golf course established in 1942, expanded to 9 holes in 1956. Faye and Jack Tresidder Jr. operated the Lodge from 1972 to 1999. It was operated as a Sports Lodge for a few years and then demolished to make way for 18 fractional ownership cottages, now called Tory’s Landing.

Compiled by David Stanton.