Buildings on this site have served as a resting point for travelers and a good meal since 1904 when Nellie Carpenter and her eldest daughter Ellen began running a hotel and restaurant. It began in the one-story section of the main lodge with six hotel rooms and a large dining room. In 1935 the hotel expanded greatly with the addition of the two-story section of the main lodge and five additional cabins. The new two-story section added five additional guest rooms and private spaces for the family.

In addition to providing meals and hospitality the hotel also served as the Atlantic City post office from 1930 until 1953 and had the city’s only gas pump. Atlantic City went through cycles of bust and boom related to gold mining in the area. By the mid twentieth century it had become a virtual ghost town. From its inception in 1904 the hotel has remained a steady presence even as the city has largely shut down. The Carpenter family sold the property in 1963 following the death of Ellen Carpenter. The property continues on in its historic use as a bed and breakfast.