The Monongahela Hotel Rices Landing Pa.

 Back in 2009 I posted some shots of the sign and steps of the old Monongahela Hotel that was located in Rices Landing,Pa. I promised 'more on this soon'...but it took awhile longer than I thought. Sorry about that! Evan and I are trying to bring the old blog back to life, so we will be trying to post some more in the near future. 

  As you will soon see from  MANY upcomming posts, I recently recieved a large ammount of 35mm slides of the Rices Landing area and its events throughout the years. The shots range (mostly) from the 70s and 80s, even into the 90s. I discovered that peppered throughout this collection are some very old shots dating back as far as the 50s. Some are original shots and some are pictures of older photos. They are all amazing and a fantastic look into our local history. 

  I found these photos of the old hotel and figured it would be a good intro into both the revival of this blog and a taste of what is to come. Although Evan and I don't do as much physical exploration these days, a dive into the old photos proves just as interesting. I'll be doing a post on the origin of the treasure trove of photos soon but for now, as promised, more on the Monongahela Hotel.

  

As the sign says, the Monongahela Hotel was built in 1855 and was a three story structure located near the location of Lock 6 on the Monongahela river at Rices Landing. it was near the railroad underpass which takes the road under the former railway ( now rail trail). The road T's to either Millsboro road or Horseshoe Bend...infamous home of Stovepipe! The Hotel was in close proximity to the river, coal mines and the railroad, so I would imagine it saw its share of visitors. Its hard to imagine a town the size of Rices Landing once needed a hotel! I'd love to see some inside shots. Maybe we will find some one day.  

 The sign states the Hotel was built from bricks baked right in Rices Landing. Some of which can still be found in the weeds and dirt along the trail. Although the sign states the hotel was razed in 1957, I believe the shot below was dated 1959..I will double check as my vision isnt what it used to be. Either way, it was gone long before I was born.

 My sister Debbie told me she remembers walking past the Hotel as a child with my aunt, and remembered it as 'creepy'. That would have been in the days close to its destruction, as in the color photo, so her memory is probably pretty accurate. The Hotel was, in her day, a beatuiful building that I'm sad to not have seen. We are lucky to have these old shots to remind us what was once there, which has always been the spirit of this blog, If  I discover any more photos or information I will add it to this post. Stay tuned to the blog for a LOT more Rices Landing content! 

If my Dad were still around, he'd have told us not only about the Hotel, but the car in the foreground!  Listen to those old stories, gang. The people that tell them wont be around forever!

Looking North. Monongahela house on left

 My family and I will be moving back to Rices Lading soon. I can't wait to get back to my home town! A lot has changed in the 24 years I've been gone. 

I'm glad some of it is the same! Stay tuned for more!