To the Editor:

I am very pleased to announce that my wife, Donna, and I have purchased the historic Sherman Inn Bed and Breakfast in Ogdensburg. We intend to continue operating it as a Bed and Breakfast with Donna managing the day to day operations while I continue my full-time job as an aide to State Senator Patty Ritchie and St. Lawrence County Legislator, representing Ogdensburg’s District 1.

My wife, Donna, has wanted to run a bed and breakfast for many years. With her experience in customer service, business operations and flair for interior decorating and hospitality, and my background in public relations and communications, we’re confident we can build on the Sherman Inn’s stature as the Ogdensburg’s area’s leading Bed and Breakfast.

We’ve been very lucky to be able to work closely with John Wade, who originally came up with the idea six years ago, to transform a small, historic elementary school in the heart of Ogdensburg and transform it into a luxurious and very spacious lodging place. We intend to continue John’s vision of highlighting our community’s amazing history and its tradition of providing the best in hospitality to our visitors, travelers and tourists.

The former Sherman School was originally built 125 years ago in 1895 as one of the city’s early public schools. It was named after Civil War hero and U.S. Congressman Dr. Socrates Sherman, a prominent city surgeon who joined the Union Army in response to President Abraham Lincoln’s call for troops after Fort Sumter was fired on. After the war, Sherman was one of the city’s leading supporters of a free public education for Ogdensburg’s children. The school was named in his honor. The interior of the building was rebuilt in 1949 after a fire gutted the interior, but left the exterior standing.

As part of our effort to use the Sherman Inn to highlight Ogdensburg’s rich history and cultural heritage, we have named our rooms after U.S. Presidents who have visited our community over the years. Presidents James Monroe, Ulysses Grant, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt all enjoyed Ogdensburg’s hospitality during their careers.

Keeping the Sherman Inn as one of Ogdensburg’s premier lodgings is a project that’s very dear to me because I attended kindergarten at this very school almost 60 years ago. I grew up just around the corner. Donna and I have moved in and we now live just a block and a half from four of our five grandchildren.

As the former Managing Editor of the Ogdensburg Journal and Advance News, I see operating the Inn as a great opportunity to combine my interest in North Country history, tourism and my personal and professional interests in rebuilding my community’s economy.

Donna and I believe in Ogdensburg and its future. We believe the city is turning the corner and great things are ahead of us. Our undeveloped waterfront is poised to become a major asset that will bring new investment, new business and new jobs to our city. We are excited about the future and we intend to work with local, county, state and federal leaders to help kick start Ogdensburg’s economy and join in the effort to make the Maple City a place where young families will want to locate, open their own businesses and raise their families.

I want to personally thank NBT Bank’s Dallas Sutton and Craig Chevalier for their help, the New York State Small Business Development Center’s Dale Rice for his advice, Nate Smith of NRS Virtual Services for his marketing expertise and Andrew Silver of Silver and Collins. I also appreciate the assistance of Code Enforcement Officer Greg Mallette, Bertrand Construction and Rhonda Roethel of America One Realty Service.

Donna and James Reagen

Ogdensburg