Fine food since 1872, serving McAfee, Vernon,
Hamburg and all Sussex County, New Jersey
Phone: 973-827-5758 Fax: 973-209-4800
Phone: 973-827-5758 Fax: 973-209-4800
Soon after the Railroad came to McAfee, in 1872, this old McAfee tavern was built by William Simpson. The contractor for the Hotel was the grandfather of Dorsey Edsal. William Simpson, commonly called Squire Bill, was probably McAfee's most important person in the late 19th century.
Upon William Simpson’s death in 1890, the Tavern-Hotel was operated by his son, County Clerk Ora C. Simpson. Ora Simpson sold the Hotel in March 1914 to Leon C. Ruban, a horse racing fancier, who also ran a bottling works in McAfee. Prohibition came in 1920 and Ruban sold the Hotel to McAfee contractor Samuel B. Martin in 1925.
Soon, after John and Laura Hovencamp bought the hotel in March of 1935, the old Hotel, built by Squire Bill in 1872, met a quasi doom. It was badly damaged and gutted by a fire
that had started in an old rear ice house.
The rebuilt structure scarcely resembled the old one.
John and Laura Hovencamp sold the tavern in 1955.
In August of 1995, a major electrical fire destroyed the entire kitchen and the Package Goods store and there was heavy smoke damage to the Tap and Dining rooms. The all wood building was restored in six months and reopened its doors on St. Patrick's Day of 1996.
This hostelry, The George Inn, is more popular today than ever, still serving good fare to patrons after
137 years of operation.
Designed and built by Wexler Associates LLC