To Shohola I Go

Almost every person in the tri-state area that I’ve ever talked to about the historic Rohman’s Inn has either heard of it or been there.

Chauncey Thomas built Rohman’s Inn in 1849. It quickly became the center of town activity including town meetings. The building itself was erected before Shohola became a town and is located on a street named after the institution — Rohman Road.

Rohman’s stands in front of the tracks of the Erie-Lackawanna railway, the biggest railway in the northeast. A large train station used to stand next to the inn, and people coming up for the weekend from New York City would exit the train and stop by to wet their whistle.

Shohola was a resort mecca during the late 1800’s. People would travel into town to visit the Shohola Glen, an amusement area that had outdoor attractions as well as food, games and drinks, and end up either staying at or enjoying cocktails in Rohman’s Inn.

Rohman’s derives its name from a long-time and notorious proprietor, Art Rohman. Art was a shrewd businessman who owned the inn from 1906 to 1973. Locals remember Art as always being at the bar, dressed in black pants, a white starched shirt and his infamous cigar.

During World War II, Art instituted a patch collection so that servicemen back from defending the country could proudly display their division. The patch collection remains today. Hundreds of patches line the back bar for all to see. You can almost date the patches by their color, or lack thereof, due to the smoke in the air and the moisture in the barroom. Servicemen, firefighters and policemen are still encouraged to bring a patch and add it to the collection.

The bartenders must still wear a uniform that consists of black pants, a maroon t-shirt with the Rohman’s insignia and a starched green apron. Fresh-squeezed screwdrivers have been a long-time staple of the bar and you can still get them to this very day.

The bar, a fifty-foot hand-carved Brunswick, rises and falls from over a hundred and fifty years of wear. The knotted edges have been worn smooth with time. The spring-back stools, constructed so that they can be folded back into the bar, were another idea of Rohman’s. The Liquor Control Board mandated that all bars have stools where the people could sit. Art didn’t like that idea because then fewer people would fit into the establishment. With the spring-back stools, people had places to sit but unused seats could still be folded back into the bar to make space for standees. Because of Art’s pull (being on the board of most of the local banks), this arrangement worked out just fine for the Liquor Control Board.

One of the attractions of Rohman’s are the artifacts from past decades that are still displayed. Old beer advertisements and articles on Rohman’s still line the walls. Two signs on the back bar acquaint you with small-town charm. One reads, “It’s hard to get rich in a small town; everybody’s watching;” the other one says, “Everybody can bring happiness into this room, some by coming in, other’s by going out.” Owner Sheila Farrell still has an original sign-in book dating from the 1800’s. Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh, Clara Boyle and many others who frequented the bar signed the book. NASCAR driver Mario Andretti and film star Robert DeNiro are more recent patrons of Rohman’s.

A highly unusual feature is the 1940’s bowling alley. Rohman’s Inn has one of only four remaining bowling alleys in the country where you must set your own pins and return your own bowling ball. The pins have a small hole in the bottom where they meet the spike. After placing the pins, you must place your ball on the ramp and give it a slight push to make it roll down the track and catch at the end so you can start all over again. The work of setting and returning is fun but tedious and, of course, you must keep your own score. Onlookers can view the game from staggered seats behind the lanes. A jukebox, including a favorite of the locals, “Springtime in Shohola,” still remains at the back of the bowling alley.

Rohman’s serves dinner in their dining room. Decorated in old wood signs and vintage tables and chairs the dining area is comfortable and pretty. Throughout the upstairs area are hardwood floors.

On the third and final floor are the sleeping quarters. The rooms are currently being redecorated and will soon be available for overnight stays. Bathrooms are in typical boarding house style, at the end of the hall.

Rohman’s is open daily from 11:00 am and the dining room is open on Friday and Saturday nights from 6:00 p.m.

For more information call 570/559-7479.