Augustine Beach Hotel, Hotel in den Vereinigten Staaten
The Augustine Beach Hotel is a two-story brick building constructed around 1814 near Port Penn in New Castle County, Delaware. It features a symmetrical facade with six front windows, a gable roof, and a welcoming porch with a sloped roof, along with a smaller brick outbuilding that likely served storage purposes.
The hotel was built around 1814 by Adam Diehl, a cattle farmer who arrived in the area during the 1790s. Its peak years between 1870 and 1920 were driven by steamboats bringing visitors, but the steamship service ceased in the 1920s, causing the business to decline and eventually close.
The building was named after Augustine Herrmann, a notable early figure in the area's settlement. Locals called the location "The Piers" because it served as a gathering place where visitors from cities like Wilmington and Philadelphia arrived by steamer for holidays and social outings.
The building sits just south of Port Penn on Delaware Route 9 on about 5 acres of land, making it relatively easy to locate. Since it now functions as a VFW post, visitors should check ahead to confirm when access is available and what areas can be toured.
Visitors once paid only thirty cents for a steamship ride to reach the hotel, and the guest register shows it drew visitors from throughout the region during its peak years. This record offers a window into the travel patterns and social life of the 19th century.
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