Over 40 years, Chestnut Hill restauranteur Richard Allman has dealt in preservation, restoration, and celebration when it comes to Joseph Ambler Inn.
The 300-year-old site serves as a historic hotel, restaurant, and wedding venue on Horsham Road at the borderline between Montgomery and Bucks counties. Usually, Joseph Ambler Inn is celebrating someone else, but this year, it is the highlight of the celebration.
According to a recent press release, Joseph Ambler Inn is celebrating its 40th year in business under the same ownership. Welcoming guests since 1983, Joseph Ambler Inn, under the guidance of Allman, has transformed from a 15-room colonial bed and breakfast to a 52-room luxury inn on 12 acres of manicured gardens and rolling meadows.
THe 40th Anniversary Celebration takes place for the public on June 19 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring food, drinks, games, and tours of the property.
To commemorate its four decades in business, the inn will have promotions and specials all year that play on the number “40.” For instance, $40 bottles of house wine and $40 crab imperial stuffed lobster tail on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
According to the release, the Inn will have a Summer Staycation special in July and August – stay one night at regular price, and then stay the second night for $40.
“From the moment we opened our doors in 1983, we have remained dedicated to not only providing guests with memorable experiences and service, but preserving the history of Montgomery Township,” Allman said.
Joseph Ambler Inn remains one of the few historic locations in the North Penn region that dates back to pre-Revolutionary War times.
Joseph Ambler, born in 1691 to a Philadelphia Quaker family, purchased the then-90 acres in 1734 and constructed the original two-story, two-room farmhouse. According to inn records, the Ambler family lived and farmed on the property for more than a century.
Ambler first settled in the county to learn the trade of wheelwrighting, which is why the wagon wheel highlights the Joseph Ambler Inn logo today.
At some point in history, the property became the Bonnymeade Farm, a private estate that raised livestock in an 1820 stone bank barn, according to a press release on the 40th anniversary.
“The estate’s 12 acres included Ambler’s original fieldstone manor house, which was built in stages over three centuries (1734, 1820, 1929), as well as a tenant farmer’s cottage built in 1929,” stated the press release.
“When the ‘For Sale’ sign appeared on the Bonnymeade Farm 40 years ago, I knew developers would pounce on the beautiful property with ideas of housing and retail,” Allman said in a press release. “I couldn’t let that happen. With the help of my team, I began painstakingly preserving this important piece of our county’s history.”
Allman saved from demolition, moved and restored two of the property’s current farmhouses. In 1997, The Thomas Wilson House was spared a wrecking ball and moved to the inn’s grounds. The house was a stone home built in the 1850s and inhabited by six generations of early Irish settlers.
In 2003, the John Roberts House, built in 1794, was moved two miles to the inn’s current location. Today, the houses serve guestrooms and three wedding lounges.
“We want to show gratitude to our guests and dedicated staff who have helped create 40 years of one-of-a-kind memories at Joseph Ambler Inn and look forward to recognizing this milestone throughout 2023,” Allman said.
Joseph Ambler Inn is located at 1005 Horsham Road, Montgomery Township. Visit www.josephamblerinn.com for hotel booking, restaurant reservations, and hours of operation.
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