14/12/2023
THEN vs. NOW
In 1752, Dover got its first (and last) hotel! This was an excellent location, because it was on the main road to Carlisle. Gerhart Graeff requested a license to set up a place for travelers. The hotel in this photo was run by George Darron starting in 1809, and it stayed in his family for generations.
In 1859, the Wiest family took over and kept it until 1889. Peter Wiest, from the same family, moved his dry goods business from near the hotel to York on West Market Street. Despite some bumps in the road, it became a famous store in York.
Before trains, the Hotel Dover was a spot for wagoners carrying goods from Philadelphia and Baltimore to places like Pittsburgh and Wheeling. In the winter, they'd roll out their blankets and sleep on the hotel floor, or sleep in their wagons or barns when the weather was good. The Hotel Dover was a hub for hot food, drinks, and news.
They loved drinking whiskey, which was one of the most shipped items from York. For nearly 50 years, York made more whiskey than any other county in Pennsylvania. Horses would carry barrels of it, each holding 150 gallons!
Today, the former Tom’s Exxon stands where Hotel Dover once provided a roof for the tired travelers passing through Dover, pa. What would you like to see occupy this space?!!
Source: www.gdhspa.org
