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In 2003, the Holly Inn Group Inc. a group of friends and families, acquired the
Inn. The new owners made extensive renovations including access for guests with
disabilities, a new deck, remodelled and refurnished 14 guest rooms. Each of the
guest rooms are uniquely designed and have private baths. Two rooms on the second
floor were enlarged and jacuzzis installed. The banquet hall is refurbished and
will be equipped for social gatherings as well as business meetings. Special care
was taken to retain the charm of this historic landmark. The original sand stone
wall, about two feet thick and two hundred years old was carefully restored. When
the walls on the second floor were torn down to make rooms more spacious, horse
hair with plaster was discovered- construction material of a long past era.
A large stone wall was rediscovered and now carefully preserved to be savored
by guests in the corner room. A fireplace will be added for a charming accommodation.
Holly Inn’s exterior remains the same familiar face well loved by the close knit
neighborhood.
Diners can feast on those favorite dishes like Crab soup and Crab Cakes, as well as our meat and seafood specials. The bar offers a wide array of choices for drinks. A pool table and
dart board help folks unwind. A large screen TV shows ongoing events.
The unique setting of the historic Inn, the charm and warmth of its atmosphere,
and the astonishing natural beauty of the Gap in the South Mountains make it a
particular pleasure for the members of the Holly Inn Group Inc to become a part
of the proud and vibrant history of the Holly Inn and of Mount Holly Springs.
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Breathtaking Location
The historic Holly Inn is located in Mount Holly Springs, Pennsylvania. It lies
in the Gap of the South Mountains in Cumberland County. This beloved inn nestles
in the gorge that the Mountain Creek flows through, where the changes of seasons
bring color and drama. Natives tell the story that the Holly Inn started as a
“shack” by the mountains and a speakeasy during Prohibition. By the late 1700’s
the shack was transformed into a small log tavern frequented by the locals.
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| With its strategic location right beside the main road through the Gap, it quickly
gained renown as a friendly and homey place for tired and hungry travelers in
search of a welcoming place at which to break their journeys.
In 1804, the log tavern was replaced by a stone building solidly built with sandstone
from the local quarries. Only then was it called an inn. Because the surrounding
landscape was peppered with holly trees, it was given the name that it still bears
today, the Holly Inn.
The average temperature of Mount Holly Springs is 8 degrees cooler than its surrounding
cities, thus the Holly Inn quickly became a popular summer resort for guests from
New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC. The inn developed into
a hotel that comfortably accommodated as many as one hundred guests. The beauty
and serenity of the mountains provided a natural setting for outdoor activities
and created an atmosphere that encouraged restful visits. Guests who came to the
Inn to recuperate from serious illnesses also enjoyed the benefits of the pure
water that flows from the vigorous, spring fed streams in the neighborhood. |
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Silent Witness
The Holly Inn was a silent witness to a myriad of historic events. During the
Civil War, cannon and gunfire reverberated through the mountains, the shouts and
cries of battle were heard in the Gap. More than 40,000 Confederate and Union
men passed through Mount Holly Springs on their way to Gettysburg. |
| A member of General Richard Ewell's 2nd Corps who became ill during the march
through Mount Holly Springs in June 1863 was left at the Holly Inn to be cared
for. His condition deteriorated steadily and he died several days later. No one
knew who the Confederate soldier was, and there was no clue to his identity among
his effects.This casualty of the Civil War was buried in the borough cemetery
and thus became the unknown soldier of Mount Holly Springs. To this day families
of buried unknown soldiers come to search for clues on whether this brave soldier
was their loved one.
In 1951, the Toulomes family acquired the Holly Inn. They expanded the restaurant
and tavern , added the lounge and reduced the number of guest rooms as the economy
contracted. The banquet hall was the site of many memorable weddings, receptions
and other social events.
  
** new ** July 2009 Civil War Marker Unveiled Slideshow ** new **
** new ** Civil War Marker Unveiled Press Release ** new **
Holly Inn
31 South Baltimore Avenue
Mount Holly Springs, Pennsylvania 17065
(717) 486-3823 or (717)486-4194
eMail:info@hollyinn.com
 
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