DOVER HOTEL
AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY

Because it was situated on the well traveled road to Carlisle, the community of Dover saw its first “public house” erected as early as 1752.  It was that year that Gerhart Graeff (later Graves) asked the justices of York County for a license to accommodate those using the road which was described as “greatly burthened with travelers passing…” 

The hotel seen on the post card was operated by George Darron beginning in 1809.  The business was handed down later to Darron's son, and still later to the grandson of the original owner.

In 1859 the business became the property of the Wiest family and remained in that family until 1889.  Meanwhile another member of the same family, Peter Wiest, had moved his dry goods business from its site near the hotel here to a property in York on West Market Street.  That business prospered after some serious setbacks and eventually became one of York's landmark stores.

In the days before railroads, the Hotel Dover served wagoners who transported goods from Philadelphia and Baltimore, through York, to places such as Pittsburgh, Wheeling and other western destinations.

In the winter time the working men would unroll their own blankets onto the floor of inns like the hotel pictured and sleep next to other travelers lodged there for the night.  When weather permitted, the travelers slept in their wagons, on the ground or in barns along the way.  In these seasons the public house became a center for providing hot meals, refreshing drinks and news of current events.

One of the favorite drinks of this time was also one of the most common products being shipped on the wagons originating in York.  For almost 50 years (from 1780 to 1792 and from 1800 to 1830) more whiskey was made in York than in any other Pennsylvania county.  Four to five horse teams carried loads of barrels (called hogsheads and holding 150 gallons each of the alcoholic nectar) to destinations outside York where corn whiskey sold for 24 cents a gallon and the best rye whiskey fetched 80 cents a gallon.  The most common recipe for corn whiskey of the time called for 5853 parts of corn to 1941 parts of rye to 438 parts of yeast and 273 parts of malt.  The waste products were fed to animals.

By the time the Hotel Dover was opened on the site seen on the postcard, York County had 559 distilleries and was known far and wide for its inexpensive but high quality liquor.  Later the business of brewing beer found similar success throughout the county.

The Hotel Dover served travelers as well as local citizens for more than 100 years.  With the coming of the Railroad Age and then the Age of the Automobile, intermediary stops like this one were forced out of business.  The Hotel Dover, like many other such inns, became a sad casualty of the changing times.

Today, 2004, Tom’s Exxon Gas Station and the Drovers Bank are located where the Hotel once stood.