The Maple Tree Inn began serving it’s first pancakes and maple syrup in the year 1963. But first, let’s go back to when the Cartwright’s first began producing maple syrup.
Jacob Closser, Ronald’s great-great grandfather, began the operation back in the 1850’s with seven small evaporators. The maple syrup he produced was made into sugar cakes and peddled in Geneseo, Mount Morris, Nunda and Dalton. In 1913, Austin Cartwright, Ronald’s grandfather, bought the farm and sugar bush from Jacob’s heirs. He then continued the tradition of producing maple syrup.
Ronald, along with his brother Clarence, and two sisters Eileen and Norma, came to live with their grandparents, Austin and Grace Cartwright, in 1933, after their parents died within five months of each other. This was quite an undertaking considering that all four of the children were under the age of seven. Ronald, Clarence, and their grandfather maintained a small shack on the farm which burned in 1937. They then built another one which Ronald and Clarence continued to operate after their grandfather died in 1961. But as fate would have it that shack also burned in 1962.
Still wanting to continue producing maple syrup, Ronald and his wife Virginia, whom he married in 1949, decided to build another sugar shack in 1963; however, this one was going to be different. They discussed the idea of building a restaurant where they could serve pancakes just like the ones Ronald’s grandmother used to make, and sell their syrup to the public, instead of selling it in bulk to Vermont. Thus, the Maple Tree Inn was born.
The Cartwright business has seen much progress over the years. The restaurant has been remodeled and expanded many times, all the while perfecting the famous family pancake recipe. The restaurant originally seated just fifteen people. The family places approximately 8,000 taps each year and most of the sap is piped by tubing to holding tanks. The large evaporator is still fired by wood, but the time consuming task of boiling has been greatly reduced by the 1984 installation of a reverse osmosis machine. This modern equipment removes the excess water from the sap, thus reducing the time and energy needed to produce syrup.
Despite its’ somewhat out of the way location, they have managed to attract people from around the world each spring season. Their customers come from as far away as Germany and Japan, and as close as across the road. On occasion, the woods-like setting enables visitors to view deer and wild turkey from the restaurant.
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