The beginnings of this hotel are a little mysterious. The stone in back wall was said to have come from the Cross Key’s Inn which burned down on the adjacent corner in 1880. Other data says the Cross Key’s Inn burned down in 1869. A building first showed up on the 1858 map where the Washington House was located and there is an old post card that shows a sign for the Washington House with a date of 1858 on it. Never the less this Restaurant has been serving fine food and beverages for a long time.
The Native path that came into town from what is now 772 was the original “Road” through what became Mount Joy. The path started in Philadelphia and ended in Bainbridge with a branch departing the intersection in front of what is now Beanies Restaurant that headed to the Harrisburg area. The path became known as Peter’s Road after the trader Peter Bazillion.
This area of Mount Joy was originally part of the Hugh White plantation. His plantation extended from Fairview Street east to the Little Chickies Creek. There were three original plantations with deeds from William Penn that now make up the Borough of Mount Joy. The adjoining tract to the west was that of John McCrackon. Its approximate location was from Fairview Street to Green Alley in the Florin ward. The third plantation was owned by Thomas Bayly which a remnant of it was used to create the village of Springville (Florin).
With the Washington House being located at the cross roads of the Lancaster-Harrisburg Turnpike and Peter’s Road they had a thriving business. There have been many different restaurants serving wonderful food and beverages at this location over the years, and now Beanies is keeping up that tradition!