Doubling Gap from 1789-1848
With the discovery of a white sulphur spring in the late 18th to mid 19th century, it was inevitable that the White Sulphur Springs Hotel would attract many guests who wanted to taste the mineral springs of Doubling Gap. According to Rev. Conway P. Wing, D.A, who wrote the History of Cumberland County, PA in 1879, "the water contains sulphuretted hydrogen, carbonate of soda, carbonate of magnesia, sulphate of soda, sulphate of magnesia and chloride of sodium. There is also a chalybeate spring within a few rods of the sulphur spring, which in addition to its bicarbonate of iron, contains sulphate of magnesia, carbonate of magnesia, and chloride of sodium." (5)
Local residents and people visiting from other areas came to take the water home with them. People lived in nearby bordering homes just to be able to drink the spring water.
There is a record that the Sulphur Springs Tract was surveyed on January 1, 1789, when a resident of the county, Sherman Barnes made an application to take up about 150 acres including "an improvement and sulphur spring." The Sulphur Springs Tract was located in a place called McFarland's Gap and later to be known as Doubling Gap.
Later summer boarding houses became popular and the first record of any hotel type business is a license to Jonathan Wallace in 1803. In the early years of the Doubling Gap Sulphur Springs Hotel, business management changed rather often. Apparently evidence of stone foundation remains are visible in the woods across the road from the breast of the hotel's lake where the original hotel building was located, which is down the road from the present day Doubling Gap Center.
Local newspaper advertisements from Carlisle's newspaper, "American Volunteer" located in Cumberland County Historical Society can be found from the 1820s that promoted the springs located at Doubling Gap Sulphur Springs Hotel.
There is a record that the Sulphur Springs Tract was surveyed on January 1, 1789, when a resident of the county, Sherman Barnes made an application to take up about 150 acres including "an improvement and sulphur spring." The Sulphur Springs Tract was located in a place called McFarland's Gap and later to be known as Doubling Gap.
Later summer boarding houses became popular and the first record of any hotel type business is a license to Jonathan Wallace in 1803. In the early years of the Doubling Gap Sulphur Springs Hotel, business management changed rather often. Apparently evidence of stone foundation remains are visible in the woods across the road from the breast of the hotel's lake where the original hotel building was located, which is down the road from the present day Doubling Gap Center.
Local newspaper advertisements from Carlisle's newspaper, "American Volunteer" located in Cumberland County Historical Society can be found from the 1820s that promoted the springs located at Doubling Gap Sulphur Springs Hotel.
