Uncharted Lancaster
Uncharted Lancaster reveals the county’s most fascinating stories—local history with odd twists, forgotten places, and the occasional brush with the supernatural. Each episode explores the hidden histories and long-buried secrets of Lancaster County, where legend, landscape, and local lore collide.
Uncharted Lancaster
The Unfinished Dream of the Pequehanna Inn
The Pequehanna Inn: The Grand Hotel That Never Was.
High above the mouth of the Pequea Creek lie the moss-covered foundations of a dream that almost transformed the Susquehanna River gorge. In 1906, Lancaster builder John K. Hartman began constructing the Pequehanna Inn — a towering 384-room resort meant to be the crown jewel of a booming Pequea, complete with verandas, glass-domed dining halls, hilltop gardens, and breathtaking river views.
Then came disaster: a destroyed bridge, construction delays, financial collapse, and the death of a key backer. The project fell silent, leaving only stone walls and terraces hidden among the trees on Hartman Hill.
Today, the Pequehanna remains one of Lancaster County’s greatest “what-ifs”… a luxury resort that never opened its doors, yet still whispers from the ruins. This inaugural episode takes a deep dive into the project’s history.