RRH History

The Railroad House Inn

The History of the Railroad House Inn

In 1803 and 1804, David Cook and James Anderson began developing two towns side by side along the Susquehanna River. Eight years later, they agreed to join the two communities naming it after their wives Mary and Henrietta. The new town was named Marietta.

Marietta soon became a vital river town for lumbering and transportation. The Railroad House was built between 1820 and 1823 to provide accommodations, food and beverages for the river and canal traffic. The Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, running from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh by way of the Portage Railroad, ran directly in front of the hotel.

The hotel became a haven for river men who worked along the scenic Susquehanna and “walls reverberated with inebriate good cheer, an occasional brawl, and all the violence and immorality of the roughest classes.” When the railroad, later known as the Pennsylvania Standard, replaced the canal, the waiting room and ticket office were located in the building which is now called the Railroad House Inn. It remained this way until 1860 when the Marietta Station was constructed across the street. The station is part of the Railroad House Inn property.

In the late 1890’s, the Railroad House was opened by Colonel Thomas Scott, who was Assistant Secretary of War for Lincoln and also a famous president of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

The Railroad House flourished until the 1930’s when it fell into disrepair and was flooded in 1936. It sat vacant, except for squatters, until the federal government took over and sold it at auction in the late 1950’s.

Restoration began in the 1960’s and continued thru the 1970’s during which time it served as a psychedelic coffee house. After hurricane Agnes in 1972, the building changed hands again, was restored, and became a popular gourmet restaurant and tavern.

In the 1980’s the business was expanded to include a B&B with 8 rooms available.

In 2008, the service bar adjacent to the kitchen was removed, restored and moved into the former Music (dining) room which is now a tavern. The Front St entrance was reopened, the vestibule and tavern floors were refinished and the walls were painted to create a casual pub atmosphere.

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