It is a great place for sure. Friendly people, great food, cheap beer. What else can you ask for? I look forward to getting back there in Feburary..
More on this after the New Year.
An excerpt from "Then the Hail Came" by George Steffanos
http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail/Hail-ch14.html
As I was leaving, I had a nice conversation with the lady I had met earlier. She gave me some of the history of the place. The hotel was built around the turn of the century by the Anheuser-Busch brewery. It was one of a string of similar hotels, each centered around a bar that spotlighted their products. When Prohibition came, they sold them all off. It has been a family business ever since ever since. They now rent most of the rooms on a monthly basis to local residents, and are fond of the Appalachian Trail hikers who provide much of their overnight business. She went into great detail about how they had kept all of the old furnishings to this day, except for the beds. These were a big part of the atmosphere of the place which I had felt as soon as I first walked in yesterday evening. When I left, she told me to watch out for snakes and bad water.
I find it interesting that the Bud company built bars to sell its product back then. Does anyone know any more of the history of the Doyle, or other places like it?
Doyle Pics
I used the link to the Doyle Hotel and was impressed by the floodwater pics. I wonder how long it takes for the water to recede.
Nice to see all the hiker pics. I hope they add more.
Doyle
It is my understanding that before Prohibition, breweries owned places like the Doyle to distribute their products. After Prohibition they were forced to sell off these properties and had to set up a new distribution system.
Please enlighten me
What's a "Billville meeting"?
Buncha drunks getting together doing drunk stuff.
I love the Doyle
I stayed at the Doyle last summer and would give it my whole-hearted endorsement.
The owners love thru-hikers and treated us extremely well. For example, they found out I was a big fan of the Calgary Flames and the game was on that night so the lady hooked me up with the big-screen TV upstairs, which she obviously did not have to do.
Another example...the grocery store is a bit outside of town so the owner gave us a free shuttle there because the road is a bit dangerous and he didn't want us to get hurt. I am sure he had better things to do but was a nice guy!
Plus cheap beer, cheap food...what more could you want?
Highly recommended.
Thanks Wolf.
Originally Posted by L. Wolf
Huh? I guess a several of us that go to the Billville meetings at the Doyle will have to stay home because we mostly drink coke. Actually I never knew Lone Wolf drank until I saw him sober once.Lone Wolf-"Buncha drunks getting together doing drunk stuff."
i stayed there on a sunday in october 2003,the doyle is a dive,but it is a classic dive with a lot of character,i stay there for tradition,i enjoyed my stay there
neo
decide for yourself...
Seeing you've heard from Lone Wolf-"Buncha drunks getting together doing drunk stuff," Maybe you'd like to know some of the "drunk stuff" that actually occured the last time we were at the Doyle on a weedend in March. Most of Saturday was spent on an work trip where, I think it was 16 of us plus another non-drinking friend visiting us at the Doyle, joined ALDHA volunteers to help repair problems at the Ironmaster's Mansion at Pine Grove Furnace. We were thrilled to be able to help and got a lot of the problems fixed.ATRagamuffin-What's a "Billville meeting"?
If this is considered "drunk stuff" by the uninformed, I think we all need to do more drunk stuff.
Thanks, Old Fhart, for the further clarification. I couldn't agree more that we all need to do more of this "drunk stuff". Maybe I can be a designated driver. At any rate, after reading about the Doyle, I'll gladly stop there on my thru-hike in 2009.
Ragamuffin
Seeing you've heard from Lone Wolf-"Buncha drunks getting together doing drunk stuff," Maybe you'd like to know some of the "drunk stuff" that actually occured the last time we were at the Doyle on a weedend in March. Most of Saturday was spent on an work trip where, I think it was 16 of us plus another non-drinking friend visiting us at the Doyle, joined ALDHA volunteers to help repair problems at the Ironmaster's Mansion at Pine Grove Furnace. We were thrilled to be able to help and got a lot of the problems fixed.
If this is considered "drunk stuff" by the uninformed, I think we all need to do more drunk stuff.
My best memory of the Doyle was in was in June 2001, I hiked from Darlington shelter to the Doyal on a hot day. When I got there I ordered 2 22 oz Black and Tan draft beers along with this giant basket of French Fries and a really big hamburger. AHHHHHHHHH.....
Panzer
I ended the first half of my thru-hike in Boiling Springs, then hitched a ride up to Duncannon just so I could start the intermission with a draft at the Doyle. Oh, and to buy a round for some Trail buddies who were a day or two ahead of me. Didn't stay there overnight, though. Great start to halftime, so much so I haven't commenced the second half of my hike yet...
GA-PA '01, rest of the way: soon!
That is honestly one of the funniest descriptions of Billville I've ever read.
At $18.50 a night, you gotta figure it ain't gonna be the Hilton. I stayed there last year, and the only thing that ruined my rest was those early morning freight trains. I loved it, and loved the owners, the hikers, and the locals I met there. I plan to take a fishing vacation there maybe next year.
...that statement was made with love in my heart , Jester. You know that.
Many a truth is said in jest.
Last edited by MOWGLI; 05-08-2005 at 10:17.
I know, lw. Some folks may not realize you and I know one another. But I took it in the spirit in which it was meant. And speaking of spirits, I've got something for you to return the favor from last year. See you this weekend.
Before the PA turnpike was built, this was a popular vacation area. After the PA turnpike was built, people used the turnpike to go down to the Jersey shore area.
Panzer
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