On a wooded ridge high above the mouth of the Pequea Creek lie the remains of a dream so ambitious that it might have transformed the Susquehanna River gorge into Pennsylvania’s answer to Lake Placid. Today, only moss-covered stone walls and faint terraces cling to the hillside, but more than a century ago, this was the future site of one of the largest and most luxurious hotels ever proposed in Lancaster County. Visitors reaching the hilltop today see only foundations. Yet, those who know the story can almost imagine the glass-domed dining room, the sweeping verandas, and the grand interior courtyard that were meant to redefine resort life in the region.
The idea for the Pequehanna Inn began around 1906 when prominent Lancaster builder John K. Hartman formed the Universal Cooperative Association. Hartman had already constructed hundreds of homes across Lancaster City and was widely regarded for his craftsmanship. His next ambition was far greater: a massive hilltop hotel overlooking the Susquehanna at Pequea.
A 1910 promotional booklet, Seeing Lancaster County from a Trolley Window, included a two-page advertisement that captured the public imagination. It announced that a “magnificent structure” of 384 rooms was already “in the course of erection” on a 100-acre tract where the Pequea Creek meets the Susquehanna. Every room, the advertisement boasted, would be sunlit and ventilated with “pure hilltop air.” The hotel would be quadrangular, fire-resistant, and larger in ground area than any inn in the United States. Hartman envisioned the Pequehanna not simply as a hotel but as a cooperative residential retreat where guests could purchase 100-year room leases and decorate their spaces to suit their taste.
At the time, Pequea was booming. Influential southern Lancaster County businessmen like Frederick Shoff and Paul Heine were transforming the riverside village into a fashionable getaway. They built the River View Hotel, created recreational areas, and organized trolley lines that brought visitors from Lancaster City straight to the river. Their efforts shaped the region into a thriving summer playground, attracting guests from Chicago, New York, and beyond. With tennis courts, boat landings, dance pavilions, and wooded vistas, Pequea felt poised for even greater development.
Hartman hoped the Pequehanna Inn would be the centerpiece. Designed with three long wings forming a horseshoe, the hotel would stand five stories tall with a roof garden, double verandas, an interior garden courtyard, and a grand dining room stretching 180 feet. Glass domes at each end of the dining hall would fill the space with natural light. From its balconies, guests would enjoy sweeping views of the Susquehanna and the surrounding hills.
For a brief period, it appeared that construction was moving forward. A 1911 newspaper reported that the hotel was “in the course of construction” at Pequehanna Heights, confirming that stone foundations and concrete block machinery were in place. Yet the project soon suffered a series of setbacks.
Around 1910, an ice freshet destroyed the bridge Hartman relied on to move building materials across the creek. Replacement stalled for two years due to a dispute between Lancaster County and the local power company. During this time, Hartman attempted to ferry supplies by barge but was denied permission to do so. When the new bridge finally opened, county officials refused to let him transport heavy materials over it, fearing structural damage. Momentum stalled, investors became uneasy, and tragedy soon followed.
One of the project’s chief backers, George Atlee, died suddenly in 1911. Without his financial support, subscriptions for the 384 room leases remained unpaid. A broader financial downturn added further strain. By early 1912, Hartman filed a lawsuit seeking $10,000 in damages from the county, claiming their refusal to allow construction traffic led to the collapse of his contract. The case brought no relief.
With funding gone, Hartman sold what he could from the site: ironwork, lumber, and equipment. What had been meant as a grand cooperative resort became a personal financial catastrophe. Yet Hartman never abandoned the hill. He continued living on the property in a small one-story cottage, maintaining flower gardens and mowing the grounds long after the hotel’s prospects had vanished.
By 1949, a reporter visiting the site described a “ghost of a magnificent turreted hotel” still lingering in the ruins. Massive stone foundations remained visible beneath tall timber, along with rock terraces and a grassy central lawn. The winding road that was once intended for carriages still led to the summit. Hartman, then seventy-five, continued to hope that the dream might one day be revived. His wife believed the idea could still be possible. But time had long since taken back the hill.
Hartman died in 1957, leaving behind the foundations of a hotel that never opened its doors.
What Remains Today
More than a century later, the outlines of the Pequehanna Inn can still be found on Hartman Hill. On LiDAR, the hotel’s footprint and its terraces are unmistakable. Visitors with permission from the property owner can see sections of the massive stone foundations, including the curved northwest corner that would have supported a turret. Parts of the northern wing remain visible through the forested vegetation. Standing within the 40-by-212-foot foundation, one can imagine the size and ambition of the structure. The Pequehanna would have dominated the landscape and offered some of the best river views in the state.
It is impossible to visit the site today without wondering what Pequea might have become. Had the Pequehanna been completed, the area may well have developed into a major resort community with promenades, gardens, and a grand hotel attracting visitors from across the East Coast. Instead, the ridge stands quiet, marked only by stonework and the memory of a project that almost transformed the region.
Access Reminder
The remains of the Pequehanna Inn are located on private property. Access is not permitted without the landowner’s explicit permission. Please respect posted signs and adjoining private roads.
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1875 map of Conestoga Township, Lancaster County, PAPrice range: $27.99 through $29.99
Go even deeper into the story of the Pequeahnna Inn with this episode from the Uncharted Lancaster podcast.
Resources
- Seeing Lancaster County from a Trolley Window
- The Inquirer, Lancaster. Saturday, August 19, 1911
- Lancaster New Era Monday, September 4, 1911
- The Inquirer, Lancaster, Saturday, January 13, 1912
- Intelligencer Journal Monday, September 5, 1949
- Lancaster New Era Tuesday, March 24, 1981
- Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Containing Biographical and Genealogical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Earlier Settlers
- Find A Grave: John K Hartman
- From Days Long Past: Martic Township, 275 years of history, 1705-1980