North Wales was settled by Welsh immigrants who named it after North Wales in Wales. Part of a 1702 William Penn land grant (Welsh Tract), this rich farming country was given the name "Gwynedd" for the homeland of the earliest settlers and it began as a pastoral village in agricultural Gwynedd Township.

Before 1850, a number of farms, plus a 1776 church, shared by the Lutheran and Reformed congregations, dotted the present borough's landscape. What is now Main Street was originally an old Indian trail, and was laid out as the Great Road in 1728. By 1828, it had become today's Sumneytown Pike, and was a toll road until 1914. It had always been an important route to Philadelphia, and continues to serve as a connection to Routes 202 and 309 to the east and the Northeastern Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the west.

Its rural character was abruptly disrupted by the building of the North Pennsylvania Railroad starting in 1852. Service from Bethlehem to Philadelphia through North Wales began in 1857. The town quickly grew around the railroad station, with hotels and restaurants lining Walnut Street and Main Street within walking distance. North Wales is the oldest of the North Penn boroughs, incorporated in 1869, by taking land from today's Upper Gwynedd Township, then the northern portion of Gwynedd Township.

Photos compliments of NWHC, Postcard 1998

Hotels,

Manufacturing,

Industry and

Summer Homes

are the types of

Structures that

put North Wales

on the Map!

Some of the large homes at the start of the 20th century were opened to summer guests from the city. "Idlewilde", still present on Main Street, hosted the Emperor of Brazil, Dom Pedro II, when he was visiting Philadelphia to open the 1876 U.S. Centennial Exhibition with President Ulysses S. Grant.

In 2000, the North Wales Historic Preservation District was established by Borough Council and the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission to protect the architecture that is a visual reminder of the borough's past. It is the first Historic District in the North Penn boroughs.

This quoted newspaper article, published March 23, 1895, describes in great detail the Colonial Inn, built (1893-1894) by J. B. Wolfe, of

Telford, grandfather of Eva Frank (315 E. Montgomery Avenue, North Wales, PA.

COLONIAL INN

The handsome new hotel building known as Colonial Inn, just

completed at the corner of Walnut and Fifth street, North Wales, will be thrown open for public inspection to-day. The hours are from 8

o'clock p.m. to 10 p.m. Everybody is welcome to come and pass through the house and see what elegant accommodations North Wales can now

give to the weary traveler and others passing this way.

The building is complete in all its appointments, and our town now rivals Lansdale and Ambler in having a public hostelry that is equipped with every modern convenience for comfort, elegance,

cleanliness and home-like surroundings.

COLONIAL INN Cont

As the name of the building implies, the style of architecture is strongly colonial. It makes an imposing appearance and is unlike any

other building in style in North Wales. It certainly gives character and importance to the town as seen by the stranger passing north or

south on the railroad, and will speedily spread the fame of North Wales throughout the land.

The building is constructed of brick, and is four stories high. It contains 22 bed rooms, two parlors, one up and the other

downstairs, one sitting room, a smoking room, a reading room, and a large dining room capable of seating conveniently 40 persons, if

necessary, at a time. The dining room is so constructed that double the number can be accommodated in case of emergency. There is a bath

and toilet on the second floor, and a water closet, with hot and cold running water, also on the third floor.

The house is furnished throughout in a style corresponding with

the appearance of the building - neat, tidy and comfortable. Every bed room is supplied with gas and electric bells, and the means of

ventilation are about as near perfect as is possible to have them in a building of this kind.

This house is finished in hardwood from the cellar to the third

floor. The heating is done by steam, a large boiler being located in the cellar. The floor of the cellar is cemented, and is always dry

and hard.

The bar-room is fitted up in a style commensurate with such a

building, and is large and airy, and easy of access from the dining room and other parts of the house.

A piazza extends around the building outside on the first and

second floors, and is easily reached from the inside from almost any room in the house.

No one who has not been through the building has any conception of the elegance and comfort of the interior. No description can do it

justice. It must be seen to be appreciated, and to-day will be the time to see it!

May 30, 1895 - new info: "Our town was greatly surprised to hear that mine host Morris A. Gangawer, of the Colonial Inn, had sold the house and furniture to W.A. Stroud, of Jeffersonville. for $19,000. We learn that Mr. Gangawer will move back to his former residence on the corner of 6th and Walnut Streets. Mr. Bean, the bartender, may remain with that new landlord. Mr. Stroud is no new man at the business, but has had many years experience and will no doubt conduct a first class hotel. He will take possession June 17, 1895." Seems a bumpy start, with another owner, Horace Wunder, buying in 1902

Ambler Gazette, 1895, October 3, North Wales column: "An interesting time for the town... three commissioners met at the Colonial Inn to hear testimony on dividing North Wales into 2 wards. There was lively discussion. It has become common talk for store and street."

1893-1894 BUILT Builder J.B. Wolfe Public Showing 03-23-1895 The Colonial Inn G.A. Gangawer Proprietor May 1895 Stroud bought from G. A. Gangawer 1899 Business Directory Colonial Inn (still named) 1902 Now the Wunder Hotel bought by Horace C. Wunder 1910 Adam Schmehl Future Burgess (Mayor) and Fire Fighter Schmehls Hotel 1912 Prospect Brewing Company Lager Beer bottled in basement 1918 NORTH WALES HOTEL 1950s back to Colonial Inn 1973 George Brommer Prince of Wales Converted to a Castle Like Structure 1985 John McKeever purchased property McKeevers Tavern slight structure changes 2014 - 03/4/2014 Sold to L & E Management, LLC Owner Greg Flynn

HOTEL WUNDER 1902 Photo used for Postcard

PRINCE OF WALES INN, 1976 PICTURE (BICENTENNIAL YEAR) RENOVATED 1973 INTO A CASTLE

PRESENT DAY PHOTO MCKEEVERS TAVEN FEB 2014 The Reporter Newspaper

May 10, 1916 Philadelphia Evening Public

Importance and Historical Significance of Colonial Inn Building

The First Hotel in the area to have Steam Heat and Electric Lights Has always been depicted in Business Directories since being Built Henry Watson delivered Memorial Day Speech at Parade Ceremony Helped promote the Town attracted visitors Has become a Landmark over the past 120 years Secondary location for Prospect Brewing Company