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Steele's Hotel was built by George P. Steele in 1851/52 to replace the old Pennsylvania House which had been leased by Capt. B. F. Wells who operated the packet boat Northumberland from Wilkes-Barre to Northumberland three times a week.

Opening March 24, 1852, Steele's Hotel was four stories tall and built of brick and magnificently furnished for its time.

Eventually, as Steele approached retirement, the property was sold to Ziba Bennett.

Steele died February 2, 1870. By this time the hotel was leased by Sylvester Bristol, a long time innkeeper at Scranton.

Upon Bristol's retirement from hotelkeeping in the mid 1880's, the Luzerne House was managed by George W. Zeigler until it was demolished in 1895 for the erection of the new Bennett Block.