PICKERING HISTORY
Pickering occupies two historic properties at the entrance to Wolfeboro’s charming downtown. Pickering House Inn and The Barn at Pickering House are the former homestead of Danial Pickering, one of the town’s most prominent citizens in the mid-1800’s. Over a 40-year span, Daniel Pickering opened numerous businesses, including the Pavilion Hotel, which attracted guests from Boston and beyond.
Today, Pavilion restaurant, Sky Boutique Spa and Avery Room private event space occupy the former Avery Building located next door to Pickering House. This wonderful building was part of a commercial block known as “Banker’s Row” in the 1800’s.
Our Story
Pickering began out of an effort to save a treasured historic landmark. By 2015, Pickering House – known to locals as “The Yellow House” -- had fallen into such disrepair that the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance placed it on an annual list of seven historic properties that needed to be saved. When Pickering House was slated for almost certain demolition to make way for commercial development, Wolfeboro residents Peter and Patty Cooke bought the property. After a two-year renovation, they opened Pickering House Inn and The Barn at Pickering House. In 2019, Pickering House Inn was named to the National Register of Historic Places and selected by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler as a top hotel in New England.
The Cookes envisioned creating a travel and community destination, complete with a restaurant and spa. When the historic Avery Building came on the market in 2017, the Cookes bought it and began mapping out yet another renovation to fulfill their vision. In December 2020, they opened PAVILION restaurant in partnership with Chef Jonathan Hudak and, in Spring 2021, esthetician Maria Martin and massage therapist Jaime Dubreuil-Payer opened Sky Boutique Spa.
OUR STORY
Pickering began out of an effort to save a treasured historic landmark. By 2015, Pickering House – known to locals as “The Yellow House” -- had fallen into such disrepair that the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance placed it on an annual list of seven historic properties that needed to be saved. When Pickering House was slated for almost certain demolition to make way for commercial development, Wolfeboro residents Peter and Patty Cooke bought the property. After a two-year renovation, they opened Pickering House Inn and The Barn at Pickering House. In 2019, Pickering House Inn was named to the National Register of Historic Places and selected by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler as a top hotel in New England.
The Cookes envisioned creating a travel and community destination, complete with a restaurant and spa. When the historic Avery Building came on the market in 2017, the Cookes bought it and began mapping out yet another renovation to fulfill their vision. In December 2020, they opened PAVILION restaurant in partnership with Chef Jonathan Hudak and, in Spring 2021, esthetician Maria Martin and massage therapist Jaime Dubreuil-Payer opened Sky Boutique Spa.
