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1875: Historic Wright House Constructed
photo credit: R. C. Gleason
The Wright House was owned by B. F. Wright and was located at 101 East Main Street. The Wright House was established in 1875. This building was used as a hotel and their rates were $2.00 per day. The hotel was in modern arrangement and management. It is being credited as one of the first class hotels in this area of the state. The Wright House was known for its excellent table out of all five large hotels and public boarding houses in Smethport. A man named Mr. Sherman built the hotel and the House on the sid of it was built for him and his wife for their own personal home. Beneath the inside main windows was a railing that was put there for men to put their feet on while they rest in the lobby. Also in the lobby stood a coal stove and a wooden check-in desk along the wall. When the bar was reopened after the prohibition, there was a copper tunnel that ran along the floor of the bar with running water flowing through it so that men could spit their tobacco between their legs. Later, there was a connecting building between the house and the hotel.
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Biography of B. F. Wright
(Note: This biography is from the History of McKean County book.)
B. F. Wright was born in Madison County, N. Y., in 1835. He removed to Oneida County, thence to Lima, Co., N. Y., and completed his education at the seminary there, after which he visited the West. In 1859 he removed to Smethport, and at the beginning of the was enlisted in Company C, First P. R. V. C. He was wounded at the battle of South Mountain, Md., and received a second wound at Spottsylvania Court House in 1864. On July 3, 1865, he was mustered out of the service, and returning to Smethport accepted a position with the Lafayette Coal Company at Lafayette. In the fall of 1866 he was elected sheriff of McKean County, serving one term of three years. In 1875 he built the hotel named after himself, becoming the proprietor, and being one of the representative men of the county, social and courteous with his guests, and having a large and favorable acquaintance, Wright's Hotel is well and favorably known. He was a member of McKean Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 388, of Lodge No. 183, A. O. U. W., and of the G. A. R. He was a worker in the Republican party.
In 1859 he married Miss Catharine L., daughter of O. L. Bennett, and they had five children:
- F. O. (an only son),
- Ella,
- Lena, and
- Lucy and Eldia (twins).
Click on the red dot to see more of the Wright House.
CLICK HERE to see the HORRIFIC 1981 Hull's Hotel FIRE
CLICK HERE to see Wright House 2000 AD (Hull's)
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[1981: Smethport Landmark Hotel Destroyed]
photo credit: Smethport Fire Department Archives
On January 6, 1981, the Hull's Hotel (a 102 year-old landmark located at 103 E. Main St.) was destroyed by flames early Monday morning.
Fire officials reported only one person was slightly injured and that all nine residents of the hotel escaped the flames. The only reported injury was received by the hotel owner, J. Norman Hull,Sr., who suffered burns, cuts, and bruises on both hands. He was treated in the office of Dr. Fritz Guenter, a local physician. Some of the residents escaped by jumping from windows onto a porch roof and then to the ground, according to witnesses.
According to one source, more that $100,000 worth of antiques were lost in the blaze. Smethport Fire Chief Harold Carter said that when his men arrived at the scene (about 2 a.m.) the fire already had a head start and flames were shooting out the front and back windows of the wooden three-story structure.
The Smethport Fire Department were assisted by units form Port Allegany, Kane, Hilltop, and Norwich Township fire departments. About 85 firemen used some 13 pieces of equipment to battle the intense flames, which several times shot part way across Main and Mechanic Streets. In addition to the intense flames, the firemen had to contend with the snow and sub-freezing temperatures.
photo credit: Smethport Fire Department Archives
Firemen watered down three nearby structures, although two buildings suffered some heat damage and broken windows. Water was pumped from locations on Main and Water Streets and from Hamlin Lake. Residents of south side of Smethport had little or no water pressure early Monday morning. The water problems also forced the cancellation of classes at the Smethport Area High School.
Carter reported that the cause of the fire has yet to be determined and said the State Police Fire Marshal from Ridgway has been asked to enter the investigation. Smethport firemen finally left the scene about 2 p.m. They returned again about two hours later to water down the debris and again about 8 a.m. Monday morning when debris flared up again.
Also assisting at the scene were crews from the Bell Telephone Co., the Smethport Electric Department, and the National Fuel Gas. Electrical and gas service were shut off the hotel. However, a telephone company spokesman said that a cable containing 400 lines was out, leaving about 500 customers without service. He expected telephone service to be restored by 6 p.m. Monday. Also, the traffic on Main Street was rerouted to Water and King Streets during the fire and cleanup efforts.
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[Hull'sRestaurant&Lounge]
2008 Picture: Hulls
Photo Credit: Diana Phalon
The historic Wright House Hotel would later become the Hull House Hotel. The Hull House burned down in 1981 in a horrific fire. After the fire Hull's rebuilt and became Hull's Restaurant and Lounge. Also in the back of the new restaurant stands an empty lot. Hull's has a restaurant and bar on the street level and below that, there is about four rooms to rent. Hull's is ownd by Mrs. Waverly Hull. She reopened "Hull's Resturant and Lounge" about a year after the Hull House burned down. Hull's is now open daily. It has become a steady business that people enjoy.
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