|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
135 East Mahoning St. Punxsutawney, PA 15767 PHONE: 1-800-872-6825 FAX: 814-938-8592
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Pantall boasts an authentic Victorian Bar in the Coach Light Bar. It is made of curly maple
stained cherry with round ornate columns and arches and has been recently restored. If the bar could
talk, it is estimated that it would fill volumes of history books. Hans Olson, a partner in the Olson
and Fisher Drilling Company in the early 1900's would buy diamonds at the bar from the dealers who
would come from New York to meet him there. It was said that he'd roll the diamonds out onto the bar
and pick out the ones he wanted to purchase. The hotel has had many offers from buyers but feels the
bar is priceless because of the part it played in the history of the hotel and it is best displayed
right where it is.
When we bought the hotel in 1970, the Coach Light Bar was in pretty bad shape and needed a lot of
repairs. The company that made these bars in the 1880's is now called, "Yesterday's Party" from
Chicago and they wanted to refinish the bar; we decided to do it ourselves. When we remodeled
the bar, we decided the backbar had to go on the other side of the room; the bar had been a pretty
rough place for some time as we were busy remodeling the rooms and had neglected it. When we got
around to the bar, the image had to be changed.
We actually took the bar out the front door and turned it in the middle of the street, brought
it back in the room and put in where it now stands.
A friend of ours had done a lot of gold leaf frames and I asked her to tackle replacing the
missing pieces on the pillars that support the backbar. She took each pillar home, molded
pieces that were there to replace what was missing. She did a great job but it was tedious
work and she took a break after the pillars were completed. About two years later she resumed
the project and put a mane on one the lions and replaced most of the dental work on the very
top of the bar.
Before we remodeled the bar the top was open and the bar hollow so there was much speculation
as to what would be found inside when we moved it. Many thought it would be filled with old
coins, Indian-head pennies and buffalo nickels, but all that was there were the T-bones of
pork chops. Apparently chops were a popular special at one time, as there were hundreds and
hundreds of those bones. There was one Indian-head and two buffalo nickels, one with raised
ground. So much for treasure!
|
|
|
|