[1] In 1902 it was purchased by Allen Ainslie of the Maplewood Hotel in Bethlehem, New Hampshire and Edward R. Grabow of The Buckminster, who enlarged, renovated, and refurnished the building, which they renamed the New Ocean House.

[6] The New Ocean House had a private beach directly in front of the hotel, 25 acres of lawns and gardens, a saltwater swimming pool, tennis courts, and a pitch and putt course.

[8] It was a center of social activity on the North Shore, hosting dances, conventions, reunions, concert, vaudeville shows, and tennis tournaments.

[8] The hotel hosted a number of celebrities, including Will Rogers, Harpo Marx, Lucille Ball, Helen Keller, Faith Baldwin, Alexander Woollcott, Louise Whitfield Carnegie, Babe Ruth, Florence Chadwick, John F. Kennedy, William Jennings Bryan, Henry F. Ashurst, and Carlos P.

Firefighting efforts were hampered by narrow streets and low water pressure and by 12:30 a.m. the fire had spread across the entire 300-foot front of the building.