Buck Hill Falls Inn and other haunted places in the Poconos (hotel, homes)

[Wells5]

Originally Posted by fisheye

nkotb,
Perhaps it was just perspective or how good you were at your job? I made that statement before about the kids going back to the city with no money - I got my information from the waitresses that I dated. Perhaps they were talking about the kitchen help?
Yes; I have know waiters and waitresses that did make (or bragged that they did) good money. Some at the old MA claimed that they were making fantastic money - but many did not have a car. Back then you could buy a decent second hand car for only a few hundred dollars (I bought my first car for $25).
Perhaps I spoke wrong. But it was the information that I was given at that time. There is also the possibility that the young adults blamed the system when they squandered all of their money?

I worked at the Buck Hill Inn one summer during college in the kitchen. The head chef at that time was Renee Mettler who was Swiss as was the sous chef whose name I can't remember. I worked my way up to vegetable cook by the end of the summer. This was a top notch operation, which turned out a superior product. There was a big labor turnover as I recall, but it was hard work and Renee was a tough but fair boss. If you didn't pull your weight or goofed off too much, you were shown the door. We lived in the men's dorm, which was OK and the kitchen staff got to eat whatever they wanted from that day's menu. The other boarding employees' food was different. I can't remember what I was paid, but I had no complaints at the time. I'm pretty sure that room and board were part of the deal

There were a lot of high class people who stayed at the hotel and also many large conferences and conventions. I remember one conference in particular. A group of high ranking officials from some US government department or agency came up from Washington. We prepared and served them an 8 course banquet that you would have had to see to appreciate.

I was sorry to see the Buck Hill close, but I guess that all good things must come to an end.

[beckycat]

When I was a kid, I used to go to Buck Hill to ice skate. We also used to go over by there for snow tubing on the golf course.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by Wells5

I worked at the Buck Hill Inn one summer during college in the kitchen. The head chef at that time was Renee Mettler who was Swiss as was the sous chef whose name I can't remember. I worked my way up to vegetable cook by the end of the summer. This was a top notch operation, which turned out a superior product. There was a big labor turnover as I recall, but it was hard work and Renee was a tough but fair boss. If you didn't pull your weight or goofed off too much, you were shown the door. We lived in the men's dorm, which was OK and the kitchen staff got to eat whatever they wanted from that day's menu. The other boarding employees' food was different. I can't remember what I was paid, but I had no complaints at the time. I'm pretty sure that room and board were part of the deal

There were a lot of high class people who stayed at the hotel and also many large conferences and conventions. I remember one conference in particular. A group of high ranking officials from some US government department or agency came up from Washington. We prepared and served them an 8 course banquet that you would have had to see to appreciate.

I was sorry to see the Buck Hill close, but I guess that all good things must come to an end.

Wells5,

In the early 1960’s I knew one Buck Hill kitchen helper that had scars on just about every exposed inch of skin. Apparently; he always lost when in knife fights. The old hotels did cover up a lot when they were in their prime. I also knew a MA worker that bragged about how much he made as a waiter. There were a lot of parties and a lot of underage drinking. Of course; that was the time that many of us locals were running the Ho Chi Minh Trail (Route 209) to Port Jervis, NY (the drinking age was 18). Some of us did not return.

I enjoyed caddying at the Inn. It wasn’t a lot of money; I think that it paid $3.00 for a single 18 and $5.00 for a double 18. The tips were not bad except for two old doctors that gave only a $.50 tip - we ran when we saw them coming!

It was a different time. We had passenger rail service and the limos from the Inn would be waiting at the rail station in Cresco.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by beckycat

When I was a kid, I used to go to Buck Hill to ice skate. We also used to go over by there for snow tubing on the golf course.

beckycat,
Did they not have a roller skating ring? I think that I remember going roller skating there when I was young.

[beckycat]

Originally Posted by fisheye

beckycat,
Did they not have a roller skating ring? I think that I remember going roller skating there when I was young.

Yeah, we went rollor skating too now that you mention it.

[Jenn0900]

Supposedly Buck Hill Inn is owned by Falls Road Funding (?) (or research Piney Road Development). It is owned by a company based in NY. They are hard to get a hold of and if you reach them, you get no responses and they WILL NOT let anyone near the building. I have been doing research on this place for years and usually I get foofy frilly little happy stories about the community and golf course etc...but when it comes to other things....all dead ends!!! It seems as though there are things to hide! The fact that you can't get within 10 feet of the place, cant get in touch with owners, can't find the REAL reason it closed, AND...why so much stuff was just mindlessly left in the building??? Seems fishy to me!! I may not believe everything MTV said (yes im sure most of it was fabricated), but you can't tell me that in a place that large, and in over 80 years in operation, that there was not one death! Whether it be natural or un-natural! I managed to get in also and I got two unexplained sounds on my recorder. One sounded female and one sounded male!! Pretty interesting....

[Jenn0900]

And..just for the record i'd like to say that after that show aired ten years ago, I have NO idea why they didn't allow people to do ghost tours or investigations!! Do they realize the money that they missed out on?? Maybe they could've saved it!! There's tons of people who would do anything to get in there for a night. And in this day and age when people are out to make a buck you'd think they'd jump on that chance. They did have one haunted house after that show, but that was it!! Look at Waverly Hills Sanitorium in KY...They run tours and overnighters to raise money to renovate the place! They eventually want to turn it into a 5 star hotel!! As I said, if the owners of Buck Hill would've done that from the beginning (even if its not truly haunted, so what), they'd have enough money to fix it up and keep it from ruin! Also, it would keep many of the tresspassers out. If they allowed ppl in there legally, people would pay to do it, and who would want to break in not knowing if there's people in there investigating?? Know what i mean?? I don't know...I can't understand it! They missed out and now that treasure will be gone forever!! Makes me sad....

[PWGUNNY]

I was curious about the hotel after reading this thread. One day last summer, we were in the vicinity, so the family and I decided to take a peak at the old hotel. We pulled down the road to the hotel and lasted 5 seconds before security pulled up and asked us to leave.

[Jenn0900]

Originally Posted by PWGUNNY

I was curious about the hotel after reading this thread. One day last summer, we were in the vicinity, so the family and I decided to take a peak at the old hotel. We pulled down the road to the hotel and lasted 5 seconds before security pulled up and asked us to leave.

Hey PW, yes, they are very strict up there. When I was there, there was no tresspassing signs leading up to the hotel, so I decided to park in a clearing on the side of the road. I figured, no problem, right? Well, after returning to the car and starting to pull away, an officer was coming the opposite way and stopped in the middle of the road (to get us to stop). He came over and asked what we were doing and where we were. I told him we were up taking pictures of the building. He said that's illegal, its tresspassing. I said I know, I'm sorry. He said 'you also can't park there'. I said 'on the road????', its a road!! He said 'no, this road, and the entire area is privately owned property!'. It is a private community and they obviously do not like people coming on their turf! Seems like nonsense to me. So I can't even drive on 'their' road? He also told me its a $450 fine! IDK, I mean, I can understand about vandals and kids starting fires and such....but I know I'm not out to cause trouble. I am just fascinated with it's history and architecture!!! It's still so beautiful and I truly am sad it will be gone soon.

I love to read everyones stories on here about working there and everything!! Very interesting. I did find a guy on Flikr who had some photos from 1968 of a conference there and the pics were awesome!!!! So keep the stories coming, I will check back....

Mod cut - please do not post e-mail addresses. Use the DM feature.

I have been searching and searching for old pictures of the Inn. I only find outside views. I would love to see some of the INSIDE!!!! Please email me with any photos if possible!!! Thank you

[DE_NePA]

"So I can't even drive on 'their' road?"

Private property is private property. Do you welcome strangers to sit in your yard or on your porch? As for good trespassers and bad trespassers, it costs money to verify which each is, monitoring patrols, stops, interviews...so the purpose of the high fine is to limit the number of trespassers across the board. Maybe your broadcast here of the amount of the fine will stop a few others from trespassing, and the fine will have serviced its purpose.