▁sp a ▁on ▁site . ▁ ▁The ▁inn ▁clos es ▁from ▁December ▁to ▁late ▁March . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁property ▁was ▁originally ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Mount ▁Des ert ▁Reading ▁Room ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁the ▁men - only , ▁ 1 8 7 4 - f ounded ▁O asis ▁Club ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁to ▁be ▁its ▁new ▁club house . ▁The ▁purpose ▁of ▁the ▁club ▁was ▁to ▁promote ▁literary ▁and ▁social ▁culture . ▁It ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁William ▁Ralph ▁Em erson . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁a ▁steel ▁pier ▁was ▁constructed ▁at ▁the ▁shore ▁path ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁Reading ▁Room ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁visitors ▁that ▁wanted ▁to ▁come ▁in ▁from ▁French man ▁Bay . ▁ ▁President ▁William ▁Howard ▁T aft ▁was ▁provided ▁a ▁grand ▁reception ▁at ▁the ▁Reading ▁Room ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 . ▁ ▁Lad ies ▁were ▁permitted ▁into ▁the ▁club ▁for ▁the ▁time ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁A ▁restaurant ▁was ▁opened ▁to ▁the ▁public . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁and ▁a ▁result ant ▁decl ine ▁in ▁membership , ▁the ▁Reading ▁Room ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁Maine ▁Central ▁Rail road ▁Company . ▁It ▁le ased ▁the ▁building ▁to ▁the ▁Bar ▁Har bor ▁Y acht ▁Club . ▁Over ▁the ▁en su ing ▁quarter - century , ▁the ▁building ▁had ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁propriet ors . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁hotel