Neff Hotel, Sunbury Pa

The Neff House [Washington House, Fort Augusta Hotel] 

1790-1980

The location at the corner of 2nd and Market streets was, in 1790, the Washington Hotel. 

 The famous Binns & Stewart quarrel, which lead to a former duel being held near Montandon, occurred in the Washington House.

  Christian Neff, from Lancaster, came to Sunbury and  purchased the hotel in  1866, renaming it the Neff.  

There's a story that in 1870, Mr. Cake , of Caketown, threw a glass of wine into the face of Simon Cameron, Secretary of War under Lincoln.  [Cameron Park holds a monument to James Cameron, brother of Simon]

Pat Hester, reported leader of the Molly Maguires, was a regular patron of the Neff when he came to Sunbury.  "Hester would walk up to the check-in desk, and Christian Neff would look him over.  'Got any guns, Pa? Better put em on the counter.  You can stay in my hotel, but I'm going to hold your guns'  "

In 1885 the hotel was torn down and a new three story brick structure was built in it's place.

Porch and Neff Sign

The Neff

Trolley Tracks seen on the left.

In 1922 the 4th and 5th floors were added to the hotel.  Steel framework was built up from the ground so that the new floors were independent from the original building - their weight resting on the ground, and not on the floors below.

The Neff with the 4tth and 5th floors added.

Parade passing in front of the Neff .  After 1922 when the 4th and 5th stories were added, but before 1929 when the 6th floor garden dining room was added.

Parlor of the Neff House

Lobby Of the Neff House

The 6th floor, known as the roof garden was added in 1929, and quickly became a popular banquet room. 

During the 1936 flood, the hotel was filled with stranded visitors and evacuees.  Six inches of water swirled around the Neff's Lobby.  It is said that boats could float right through the doors from the street.

Brothers Harold and George Neff, Bucknell alumni,  would pick one Bucknell football game as the "turkey game" each year.  If Bucknell won the game, the team and coaching staff would be treated to a turkey meal in the Neff's Rooftop Garden.  If Bucknell lost, the  brothers would choose another game.

In 1942, a Pennsylvania National Guard attachment was housed in the hotel.  The guard was posted on Sunbury's bridges as lookouts, watching  for Japanese air attacks.  "Only one shot was fired - on the day the detachment moved out - and that was by a zealous young marksman who accidently put a hole in the ceiling of the Neff's lobby".

After world war II, the building was converted into apartments.

Lyndon Johnson visited the Neff while campaigning for Vice President.

In 1967, one year after the Neff family celebrated 100 years of ownership, the Hotel Neff was sold at sheriff's sale. It was purchased by Dr Joseph Greco from Mount Carmel, who renamed it the Fort Augusta House.

In 1973 the Fort Augusta House was sold to Robert S. Patchey. 

From 1976 to 1978, a hoagie shop was the only tenant of the building.

In 1976, Partchey turned off the heat and water to the building, saying that the tenants did not pay their rent.  The building was in an advanced state of disrepair by this time.   Partchey fled the area, and the hotel was foreclosed on again in 1978, at which time it was purchased by three men from the Shamokin-Kulpmont area.

1979

The building was soon condemned.   Demolition was a long drawn out affair, but was finally completed in May of 1980.

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Neff Hotel Marks 91st Anniversary 

Sunbury Daily Item, April 1957

The oldest business in Sunbury within the same family --the Neff Hotel-- marked its 91st birthday today.

 Fourth generation owners, George H. Neff, III, and Harold M. Neff, Jr. working managers, passed the day with business usual.

History of the establishment goes back to Jan. 5, the Penns deeded the property known as Sunbury lot No. 4, the fourth lot in the city, to William Young. In the days before the hotel was associated with the Neff family, it was known as the Washington House, and once, Covert Tavern Stand. The property was used as a hotel for years.

A photograph of Northumberland county court house in 1842 shows the old original Neff house at that date. Later this building was purchased by the local Masons who used it as a meeting house in 1865. This building was torn down in 1870. Starting date the hotel in Neff hands was April 13, 1866, when Christian Neff bought the hotel from James Wilvert Covert. 

Recent general improvements started in 1949 when the roof garden dining room, an innovation for the city but one that fell from favor, was remodeled into six apartments for permanent residents.

That year, the outside the building was re-surfaced to give a permanent brick-like facing. Soda fountain was removed in 1950 when grille room was enlarged and entertainment, and dancing started In the air-conditioned coffee shop was opened in the space formerly occupied by the "parlor and writing room."

 In 1952, remodeling began on the fourth and fifth floors and for the first time in the history of Sunbury hotels, air conditioning was installed in individual rooms. Remodeling continued in recent years until now, all five floors boast modern furniture, baths adjoin practically all rooms, and trim appointments are the rule throughout. Many civic organizations retain the hotel as their headquarters. 

Hotel serves an estimated 20,000 guests a year. Peak month is October when 75 percent of rooms are occupied. Hotel has 100 rooms.