Preservationists Worry About Famous Inn Tons Of People Died Trying To Get To

The historic — and by “historic” I mean “old” — Perkiomen Bridge Hotel is up for sale, and since even the seller says it’s probably just best to tear it down and use it for the land, history buffs are worried about the fate of the 300+ year old hotel.

The inn, built in 1689, used to be a stop on the Philadelphia-to-Reading carriage line. But the Philly-to-Reading line has fallen into disuse in recent years and SEPTA is even thinking of eliminating it its upcoming budget cuts. And so the Perkiomen Bridge Hotel has been a sports bar, an upscale restaurant and an abandoned hotel in recent years.

But why is the hotel historic? Duh, it was the Brownies 23 East of its day!

Construction of the stone bridge that gave the inn its name began in 1797 - too many people had drowned attempting to ford the creek. By that time, the hotel had been vibrant for 100 years, and it would remain so for many more. In 1899, the proprietor was cited for unruly crowds engaged in “shouting, whooping, pounding of drums, using profane language and drunkenness.”

Ahh, yes, the old great tradition of going to a bar and getting plastered by banging on giant drums.

History buffs fear for old hotel’s fate [Inquirer]