The first seed of Kutztown was planted during this colonial period by George (Coots) Kutz1, when he purchased 130 acres of land along the busy road and incorporated it as a borough on April 7, 1815. The community grew and prospered as a farming town, while a stage coach stop added incentive for the growth of hotels, taverns and other businesses dedicated to travelers’ needs. The area attracted immigrants from the Palatinate region along the Rhein River in Southwestern Germany, who were escaping religious persecution.

Eleven years later, as the country began to recover from the Civil war; the roots of the Basin Street Hotel were planted when the Central Hotel was constructed as one of the first structures fronting Park Avenue, which was to become Main Street, east of the Saucony Bridge. The building was operating as the Railroad Hotel when it and three adjoining houses burned to the ground on June 24th, 1889. Within a year, a second structure had replaced it, known as the Central Hotel, operated by Thomas Reichendorfer, followed by Charles Ahn.

Ahn operated the hotel from 1898 until 1905, when he opened a paper box manufactory down the block next to the creek. He hired E. Z. Witman as a bar clerk, who became very popular with the patrons. The next owner, Samual S. Winters, renovated the building and renamed it the Central House, keeping Witman on the bar.

In 1973, it opened as the Tender Trap under the ownership of D. C. Evans a KU professor and football coach, and Tony Alessanderi.

In 1981, the historic building was renovated by Ray and Errol Nothstein before it was reincarnated as the Basin Street Hotel (pic #12). The following year, Jeff and Doreen Pearsall purchased the establishment and operated it until 1995 when the present owner, David (Chino) Huang took over. Chino3 started working at Basin Street as a KU student in 1984 and moved up to manager in 1987.

The name of the establishment may be a bit ironic. In the early days before the Saucony Creek was diverted in 1939-40, the whole area surrounding the hotel frequently flooded, making it the “basin” of this part of the valley.

Chino has worked to maintain the Basin Street Hotel, Restaurant and Pub’s old school charm, while serving tasty, modern pub fare with a side of cheerful and friendly service. Just like back in the post Civil War days, rooms can be rented on a monthly basis. Stop in for a dose of historic nostalgia, some “good food and good cheer” from Chino and the friendly college students who constitute the wait staff.