The New Thomson House, situated at the intersection of the two principal thoroughfares in Kane and directly opposite the Pennsylvania Railroad Station, is the most prominent building in the community. In fact, the New Thomson House was recognized as one of the most popular hotels in Pennsylvania due to its superior accommodations, amenities, efficient service, and resort characteristics.
The New Thomson House, located at the intersection of U.S. Route 6 and PA Route 66, is a six-story, 60,000-square-foot brick-frame hotel with irregular dimensions in a rectangular plan. This building is the most recognized structure in Kane and has remained virtually unaltered since its erection in 1907.
From 1907 to 1946, the New Thomson House was often called the Summer Hotel. It afforded the traveling business people and resort clientele a high-class hostelry in every detail and successfully contributed to the Kane area's economic, cultural, and recreational expansion. The New Thomson was known throughout the East as a hotel with the most excellent home accommodations. The accessibility of Kane due to its strategic location on the Pennsylvania and Lake Erie Railroad and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad lines was complemented by fine establishments such as the New Thomson House. In addition, Kane has had a reputation for being one of the healthiest cities in the country. It is well known for its hay fever relief, pure mineral water, and clean mountain air.
The New Thomson was built in 1907 by Mr. John Fleming, an Irish immigrant and notable hotel businessman who operated and maintained the building with impeccable standards of quality •. Mr. Fleming named the New Thomson House a gesture of respect and an indication of the quality and service formerly associated with Kane's original Thomson House. The Thomson House was a fine hotel establishment built in 1868 by the founding Kane family and operated as such until 1901, when Dr. Elizabeth Kane converted it to the Kane Summit Hospital.
From 1886 until 1906, John Fleming owned and operated the Fleming Hotel on Fraley Street in Kane. As his business grew, the need for expansion prompted construction of a larger hotel on the corner of Greeves and Fraley Streets, which lent its well-known name, Thomson House, to this new hotel.
The New Thomson House was completely equipped with every modern convenience and appliance including electric lights, steam heat, electric elevator service, running hot and cold water in every room, vacuum cleaning plant, local and long distance telephones in rooms, excellent refrigerating facilities, an artesian .well supplying an abundance of pure water for all purposes, a modern electrically-operated steam laundry, light and spacious sample rooms and complete fire precautions.
The New Thomson House contained 125 sleeping rooms and 30 private baths, fifty of which had private telephones. The first floor and basement levels housed the lobby, dining room, kitchen, bar, writing room, billiard room, and barber shop. Unique to the hotel was the presence of several sample rooms where traveling salesmen exhibited wares and sampled products. During the summer, the New Thomson House became popular as a resort due to Kane's high altitude and reputation as an exceedingly healthful community.
Promoting the resort atmosphere was the nearby presence of Evergreen and Southover Parks. Lending to Kane's reputation of a healthy climate was the low pollen count and numerous mineral springs. This water was said to possess mineral properties and medicinal qualities of great therapeutic value and was highly recommended by physicians. The famous West Kane Mineral Water, bottled in sanitary glass bottles at the spring and reported to be free of any possible contaminants, was used exclusively by the New Thomson House dining room and drinking fountains. The mineral water was bottled and furnished gratis to guests at all times. Additionally, Mr. Fleming owned and operated a stock, truck, and dairy farm two miles east of Kane and supplied the hotel daily with fresh vegetables, poultry, cream, milk, eggs, butter, and other products.
John Fleming actively operated the hotel until his retirement at age ninety. In January 1946, the New Thomson House was sold to John B. and Helen Walters and W. Arthur and Luella Davis. Under this new ownership, the hotel's name was changed to the Penn-Kane Hotel. Despite its new ownership, the hotel's "health resort" reputation remained.
The Penn-Kane Hotel remained an operating hotel facility under the ownership/ management of W. Arthur Davis until the sale of the property in September 1955. At this time, three Kane residents, Peter Avenali, Jacob Mosier, and Samuel Manno, acquired the building and became the Penn-Kane Hotel, Inc. The hotel operation continued under the direction of Peter Avenali until 1965.
The building was unoccupied from 1965 until purchased by the partnership of William and Robert Bentz in 1974. The first floor was then and continues to be used as a showcase space for Bentz Furniture Store. The basement currently houses a laundromat and a barber shop.
Upon William Bentz's death, Robert Bentz maintained the building as sole owner until the recent formation of Penn-Kane Partners. The building's condition and situation, in addition to its significance to Kane's history, have prompted the present owners to pursue restoration of the hotel to its former status as a vital commercial and housing asset in the community.
As indicated by the historical background, both the original Thomson House and the New Thomson House contributed to the economic and recreational expansion of the community from 1868 through 1965. Notably, the New Thomson House promoted and expanded Kane's reputation as a health and recreational resort area. Furthermore, the hotel served the economic concerns of the community by its specific attention to the needs of businessmen, local organizations, and other railroad clientele passing through Kane.
