Rumsey Hall (Shepherdstown, West Virginia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rumsey Hall
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 129 E. German St., Shepherdstown, West Virginia |
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| Built | 1780 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001919 |
| Added to NRHP | March 30, 1973 |
Rumsey Hall, also known as the Entler Hotel, is a very old and important building in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. It stands right in the middle of the Shepherdstown Historic District. This building is actually made up of six different parts that were built at different times.
The oldest part of the building was built in 1786. It was once the home of Christian Cookus. Sadly, this section was destroyed by a fire in 1912.
Contents
A Building with Many Lives
The main part of the hotel started being built in the 1790s. Daniel Bedinger was the owner at that time. This part of the building was built in the Federal style, which was popular back then.
Growing Over Time
The building grew bigger over the years. By 1809, it had expanded to the corner of the street. Another part was added along Princess Street by 1815. A kitchen and a carriage house were also built, making the complex complete. Many of the original inside features are still there today.
In 1809, a store opened in the corner building. It was run by James Brown. Around the same time, a place called the Globe Tavern opened. It offered rooms for people to stay overnight.
New Owners and Managers
In 1815, Daniel Bedinger sold the property to James Brown and Edward Lucas for $6,000. Then, in 1820, it was sold again to Thomas Crown from Washington, D.C. for $4,000.
By this time, Thomas James was managing the tavern, and Daniel Entler was managing the hotel. In 1823, Daniel Entler took over managing the entire property. The Entler family managed these buildings until 1873. Even after they moved to Piedmont, West Virginia, they still owned the hotel.
The Entler Family's Legacy
The Entler Hotel was one of two hotels in Shepherdstown run by the Entler family. Daniel Entler's brother, Joseph, ran the Great Western Hotel. Both brothers were the sons of a German immigrant who was a butcher and an innkeeper from York, Pennsylvania.
A Community Hub
The Entler Hotel was a very popular place for social events in Shepherdstown. People would gather there for parties and meetings.
After the Battle of Antietam, which happened just three miles away, Shepherdstown became a place to care for wounded soldiers. Many severely injured people were brought to the Entler Hotel for help.
On December 14, 1898, the Entler Hotel received one of the first two telephones ever installed in Jefferson County. This was a big deal at the time!
Challenges and New Beginnings
The hotel faced some tough times. Several fires happened between 1899 and 1912. In 1910, a fire caused a tragic accident involving the manager's daughter. In 1912, a very large fire burned several buildings on the north side of German Street, including the original Entler property.
The hotel finally closed its doors in 1917. In 1921, the State of West Virginia bought the building. It then became the first men's dormitory (a place for students to live) at Shepherd College. At this time, its name was changed to Rumsey Hall. In the 1950s, the building was used as apartments for teachers and then for storage.
Saving a Historic Landmark
In 1978, the Town of Shepherdstown bought the Entler building from the State. This happened after a big effort to stop the college from tearing it down to make a parking lot. The West Virginia Legislature passed a bill that made Shepherd College sell the building to the Town. Delegates Clarence E Martin, III and Joseph Caudle helped make this bill happen.
Restoration work on the building began in 1982. Today, Rumsey Hall is home to the Historic Shepherdstown Museum. It also has office space for non-profit groups and is used for town meetings. It's a great example of how a historic building can be saved and used for new purposes!
