The "And Yet Another Swan Hotel" Story

The White Swan Hotel as pictured on the southeast
corner of Centre Square in Lancaster, PA. In the
background an be seen the spire of Trinity
Lutheran Church.

It was an ordinary day.  Just received an email from Jack Brubaker who is known as "The Scribbler" to Lancaster readers of the local Intel/New Era daily newspaper.  I recently posted a story titled  "Decrepit Swan" which described one of the local hotels and taverns that was part of the city of Lancaster for years.  It was owned for many of those years by a friend and high school classmate of mine, Howie M.  During the writing of the story and researching the history of the building, I came across a building called the White Swan which was in center city Lancaster.  Since some of the same years popped up in my research, I kind of assumed both names referred to the same place, but just to be sure I sent an email to "The Scribbler" who knows just about everything that went on in Lancaster for years or who knows someone who knows.  Less than a day later he told me that the Swan Hotel is distinct from the White Swan Hotel.  So, I dug in deeper.  I am amazed at the history I am learning by writing stories over the past three years for my blog.  Seems that the White Swan Hotel was located on old Centre square in Lancaster on the southeast corner of King and Queen Streets, while the Swan Hotel was on the southeast corner of Queen and Vine Streets, one block to the south of the White Swan.  Old Centre square was an Indian village prior to 1730 when Andrew and James Hamilton laid out the city of Lancaster, PA.  The lot on which the White Swan was located was known on the original map of center-city Lancaster as No. 128, situated on Queen Street, bounded north by Centre Square.  It was granted by James Hamilton to Henry Bostler in 1736 and sold by him to Jacob Slough, March 6, 1747.  Mr. Bostler was licensed to sell beer in 1741, but it is not known if he sold beer at the White Swan during the six years that he owned the property.  I found that Jacob's son, Mathias Slough, was mentioned as keeping the White Swam as early as 1761.  Mathias was a member of the Committee of Observation of the borough of Lancaster in 1774, and a member of the Legislature from 1774 to 1783.  He was coroner from 1755 to 1768 inclusive.  He continued in the White Swan until October 24th, 1806 when his son Jacob, grandson of the first Slough owner and keeper of a tavern in Columbia, PA, took charge of the White Swan.  Jacob was said to "speed the parting and cheer the coming guest" until 1824 when John Stehman took over.  In 1828 Edward Parker became landlord and the White Swan changed hands several other times until in 1855, the long history of the White Swan drew to a close.  The owner of the hotel at that time, Rosina Hubley, sold the establishment to William B. Fordney, Esquire, who sub-divided the lot into parcels which he later sold, marking the end of a Lancaster landmark.  During its heyday the White Swan entertained such distinguished guests as George Washington, John Adams, Jerome Bonaparte, William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor.  It was known for its good fare and genial hosts and was the house that before the era of railroads attracted the wealthy and influential travelers.  A traveler going to Philadelphia could catch a stagecoach at the White Swan at 5:00 AM and be in Philadelphia that evening.  The original White Swan building has been lone gone, but the memories have lingered on in history. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.