Our History

The 1800’s marked the opening of the National Road — and with it, the westward trek of settlers making their way over the Allegheny Mountains by stagecoach to create new lives in the rich land of the Ohio River Valley.

These stagecoaches did more than transport people and goods; they were the backbone of an economy that began to grow and flourish in small towns all along their path.

Many of these travelers would stop in Hagerstown, a place recognized for its welcoming taverns, known at the time as “ordinaries.”

These vital businesses, found mile after mile on the National Road, were a staple of everyday life, where weary travelers could find their way and where social, political, and cultural ideas moved from place to place. For many people, it was their primary link to the greater world.

Over time, these ordinaries became extraordinary in terms of their importance to daily life…a place to eat, drink, be entertained, and spend the night. They also served as a kind of town hall — meeting places for assemblies and courts, destinations for refreshment and entertainment, and importantly venues of debate and discussion.

It is in this historic tradition of the tavern that the hotel is re-imagined. As a critical juncture in a town known for its centrality in our country’s travels.

A place where past and present intermingle, new ideas continue to take shape, and people from all walks of life find common ground.