1740 House
by Patti Guthrie
The 1740 House has been operating in the Upper Bucks river town of Lumberville for the last four and a half decades. When you turn off River Road into their parking lot, you’re struck by the size of this establishment. The original stone section, which can be documented back to 1790, is flanked by two fairly large wood additions, the south and north buildings. This charming country inn has 24 guest rooms and suites on two floors, plus the innkeeper’s residence, the dining room, a kitchen, and a small pub.
In 1964 Harry Nessler, a colorful character from all accounts, bought what had been an old farm that included the remnants of a stone barn that was probably built around 1740. He had the additions constructed and opened the 1740 House in 1968, much to the consternation of many Lumberville residents who had envisioned a motel. Yet this bed and breakfast was anything but, and quickly became a success as a quiet bucolic haven for harried Manhattanites, thanks to prudent advertising in The Village Voice and the New Yorker.
The 1740 House has a storied history, mainly due to its flamboyant owner who also doubled as the chef for the restaurant, which served dinners as well as breakfasts. Harry had a passion for old Jaguars, which he collected, and he was rarely seen without his little white dog. He ran the establishment until his passing in the late 1980s. His family then kept it going until the early to mid 1990s.
Fast forward to November in 2010 when five long-time Bucks County residents, including Joe Luccaro and Bobby Blanche who owns Rice’s Market, bought the 1740 House. The group immediately named Joe the managing partner, a wise move considering he had been in the hospitality business for over 30 years—the last 20 as the owner and operator of Holly Hedge located outside of New Hope. Joe explained, “There have been four owners since Harry’s family had it. And some of them did upkeep and extensive work to the property to minimize the flooding threat. However none of them were in the hospitality industry.”
To finish reading "The 1740 House" go to page 82 in the Spring 2013 issue of Bucks County Magazine.