Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/405

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

359

R iver-tn tw H otel

DattvHle House

T his hotel has been known by various names. It is a frame structure on (he corner of M ill and Front streets, near the river bridge and convenient to the courthouse. Joiui Gulick first opened it as a hotel, under the name of the Farm ers’ Hotel, in t8 i2, having bought (he property from Daniel Montgomery. Philip Goodman conducted this hotel for some time prior to 18 18. In 1829 John Gulick sold it to John Rhodes, who repaired it and changetl the name to Pennsylvania House. Jolm Rhodes d i ^ in 1852. V'arious parties kept Ihe house prior to i8 t o; among (hem was George W . Freeze. In 1866 it w as kept by Charles S a v a g e; in 1868 by M r. Lin d n er: and in 1870 by Joscph M . Gerringcr. In March, 1872, Jam es V . Gillaspy took charge of the house and conducted it with marked success until a few years ago. In March, 1S80, the name w as changed lo the Revere House. Mr. Gillaspy was a good landlord and his hotel w as well patronized, csjiccially by (hose com­ ing from (he countr)' in attendance upon court. .A few years ago the hotel came into the hands o f Sharpless M. Dietz, who enlarged and repaircti it and is the present proprietor. In the days of the stagecoach and the toll bridge its location was an admirable one to catch the traveler's eye. Its present name is the Rivcr- cw Hotel.

T his hotel w as situated at the com er o f M arket and F e rry streets on the present site of the Thom as Beaver Free Library. It was a large brick building and was first the home of John Deen, J r ., who openeil a hotel there in 1848 and occupied it until i8 6 t. M r. Deen was quite a popular host and built up an extensive [ntronagc. l i e w as succeeded by George W. Freeze. In 1863 Charles M. Savage L^am e proprietor and in 1866 W olf & Wilhelm. These were in turn followed by John Whit­ man. Ilcim & Snyder. Wilhelm Brothers, Charles Wilhelm. Ix w is Sticker, George F. Snyder and Charles Funston. In 1887 the property w as purchased by Thomas Beaver and the building was taken down to make w ay fo r the Thomas Beaver Free Library.

M ontour House In i860 the site of the Montour House was an orchard. .At the com er w as a small, two.story house, which marked the location of the first store in Danville, which was conducted by IXinicl Montgom«r>'. In 1834 it w as opened a s a hotel by Samuel Brady. In 1846 G. M. Shoop leased the property, put a third story on it and cluingcd the name from Brady House to Montour House. Subsequently it w as occupied by W. G. Gaskins. Cornelius Garretson, Smith, Kram er, K irk and Jones. .About 1859 Jam es L. Riehl bought it and con<luctcd it personally until his death in 1902, after which It w as ojierated by his nephew. Samuel B. Crcssman. and at his death by his willow. In i«/X4 E. T. Linnard lioiight the hotel, and comlucied it for several years. T he next owner was H. Smith, o f Chicago, and in 19 10 it xvas purchased by O. P. Rockefeller, of Sunbury. the present proprietor. It has always been the princi]Xil hotel o f Danville.

Fortners' and D rovers' H otel T his hotel was started in 18 5? by John Hare on the corner o f M ill and Hemlock streets. It is a thrcc-stor>- stone building, with a brick front. John L u dw ig conducted it until 1867 and then William M. W illiam s p u rd u scd it and changed the name to the White Horse Hotel. In 1881 William C. Williams look chaigc for his father and conducted the hotel until 18 9 1. During this lime the father died and in the division of the property M rs. Eliza­ beth T ilel, a daughter, inherited the hotel as her share. It is now u s ^ as a private dwelling. H otel F e ife r T his hotel is on the com er o f M ill and Spruce streets. It w as form erly Ihe Dough­ erty Ilouse, and then fo r a number o f years was kept by Jam es O. Frazier. It is now conducted by Ctareiwe Peifer. C ity H otel Prior to the year 18 2 3 there stood on the site of the present City Hotel a small log house, in the kitchen portion o f which the postoffice o f iliat day w as kept. In that year Joscph Comelison, a blacksmith, tore down the old hut and put up a two-story frame house, which he occupied as a dwelling until 1839. T hat year he made some necessary alterations and then opened to the public the White Sw an Hotel. Some will remember the old sign in front of the hotel with a picture of .a white swan upon it.