WATERVILLE — If you’ve ever driven through the picturesque town of Waterville, you may have noticed a charming white building along your route through the Pine Creek Valley.

The Waterville Hotel, 10783 North Route 44, Waterville — formerly the historic Waterville Hotel Mountain Cookery and Saloon, has been a staple in the community since 1825 and has survived through many hardships.

In 1825, Abraham Harris, original owner of the business, built and established a hotel in modern-day Waterville. Once known as the Harris Hotel, it was a place of rest and refuge in the Pennsylvania wilds.

Over the years, the town became a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and the hotel served as a gathering place for these visitors.

Today, the Waterville Hotel remains a popular destination for locals and visitors to the region.

New owners Jason McConnell and Vanessa Brown and business partner Brad Wyland have revitalized the hotel and restaurant since acquiring it in 2023.

McConnell was born and raised in Waterville and he and Brown purchased McConnell’s Country Store, located right next door to the hotel, from Jason’s father.

“With the business next door it seemed like a good thing to do. I like being in Waterville and trying to preserve the history and culture of Pine Creek Valley,” said McConnell.

McConnell has a family tie to the hotel as well — his great grandparents William and Jess Smith operated the hotel from 1933 to 1945.

“It’s the story behind the basic story that drove us to this. I think it’s important to hear,” said Wyland.

Wyland has known McConnell and Brown for a long time, and his family has had a property in nearby Ramsey Village since the early 1960s.

“We were really interested but we didn’t have the full package — I don’t live here full time, they do. It was a perfect combination of what we needed to put together to do this. It was pure chance,” Wyland explained.

“All you need is a dream and a vision. Everything else rallies around that,” he continued.

The Waterville Hotel offers an extensive menu filled with fan favorites, with everything from burgers and fries to vegetarian options.

To help bring back some of the old history of the establishment, old menu items will be returning in addition to their current menu. A “throwback menu” to celebrate their 200th anniversary.

“There’s some things that are already back — like the original mountain burger… There’s a lot on (the old menus) that we haven’t reintroduced yet. We (have) some old menus from the 1990s and one from the 1930s. That one has a steak on it for 0.35 cents,” said McConnell.

“We’ll have to let (everyone) know if we run THAT special,” Wyland joked.

Head cook Dan Collar, originally from the Clearfield area, has worked at the Waterville Hotel off and on since 2016, and had nothing but positive things to say about the hotel.

“It sounds cliche, but this place feels like ‘Cheers.’ It’s a small community. We have the privilege of letting people in a few months out of the year and let them experience the small town (atmosphere.) How cool is it to be somewhere that has been doing the same thing for 200 years? The history of Waterville in general is amazing.” he said.

“The place has really come far in the last 10 years I’ve been here. I look forward to seeing it going even farther,” Collar continued.

The bar also offers a multitude of options to quench your thirst — including local wines and craft beers. Bartender/waitress, Melissa, has been working at the hotel for the last three years.

“This is a great place to work, and it has a great atmosphere. We’re all like family here — the locals are awesome. You can’t beat the hotel in the summer with all the people coming in. (Keeping things) lively,” said Melissa.

The interior of the restaurant features numerous pictures of the hotel from years past.

“Just the fact that it’s 200 years old is cool for this area,” said Brown. “There’s a lot of history here.”

Many of the photos feature visitors to the hotel. Coming to the Waterville Hotel has been a tradition for many for generations.

“(The Waterville Hotel) has always been here. It’s something everyone remembers, talks about and enjoys. The stories people tell through different generations — I think that is what makes it special and unique. It is at the heart of Waterville,” said Wyland.

“Growing up here… We’re trying to keep things how they always are instead of changing it into something it’s not. (This place) gives people something to talk about — something to reminisce on. The overall memories of having fun, those moments are what stand out more than anything,” said McConnell.

Though not everyone in the photographs can be identified, their smiles don’t lie.

“There’s a lot of people who aren’t here anymore that you can’t get stories from. They probably had more on the real history of the place than what we do. That’s what we’re trying to do — to keep that. It gets lost,” said McConnell.

Many of the patrons of the Waterville Hotel have been coming for the good food and great company for decades.

Rod Chambers, a regular in the establishment, reminisced on all the years he’s been coming to the hotel.

“This is my favorite bar. I’ve lived here all my life. This is my favorite spot and I always have a good time here. I’ve been coming here for a long time. I’m 69 (years old) and I was here before I was old enough to drink. I was here as a kid with my parents, uncles and so forth,” he said.

“I’ve seen several owners come and go. The people are great. Everyone comes here just to kick back and relax. With Jason and Vanessa taking over, they really draw the crowd. It keeps us going,” said Chambers.

A man named Anthony, who lives full-time just outside Philadelphia, said he comes to the Waterville Hotel every time they drive up to their cabin.

“We always stop on the way up to have a beer. It’s been a tradition for probably 25 years,” he said. “The new owners are awesome. Everyone is very welcoming and I encourage everyone to stop in.”

Mike Kellish has been coming to the hotel since the early 1990s with his friend Keith McDonald whose family has a camp in the area.

“There was a sign outside that said ‘home of the mountain burger’ and we would always stop here just for that on the way up. It always came with waffle fries,” said Kellish.

Charlie, his wife Marianne and his daughter Anna are all regulars at the hotel.

“I like the staff. They’re very happy. The whole family comes here. I like to promote the local business,” said Charlie.

“It’s fun and clean, and the people are nice,” said Marianne. “We’ve been coming here for 10 years.”

Their daughter, Anna, works at the hotel one day a week, and has done so for almost two years.

“They gave her a job. She’s special needs, so that’s nice they gave her a chance. (The owners) are very generous,” said Charlie.

Andy English, of Williamsport, is in Waterville any time he has a free day. He often rides his bike along the trails, and stops in because it’s close by.

“It’s nice to see people come in (to the hotel) who haven’t been in for a long time. They talk about and share when they were kids coming up and hunting. It rallies people together. You just sit back and listen. Everyone has a story,” said Wyland.

If you have a story you’d like to share about the Waterville Hotel, reach out to them on their Facebook page, “The Waterville Hotel.”

Throughout this year there will be events to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Waterville Hotel’s opening.

“We want to celebrate. Having one big bang doesn’t seem to do 200 (years) justice, because not everyone is going to be here to be part of that. Everyone who comes and goes from the valley and the locals should all celebrate. We have the best customers in the area. There will be a number of things we do to spread out. We’ve got a few surprises,” said Wyland.

Find more information online at thewatervillehotel.com.