The old McAfee Tavern was built by William Simpson in 1872, soon after the railroad came to McAfee. William Simpson, commonly called Squire Bill, was probably McAfee's most important person in the late 19th century. Upon William Simpson death in 1890, the Tavern-Hotel was operated by his son, County Clerk Ora C. Simpson. Ora Simpson sold the hotel in March of 1914, to Leon Ruban, a horse racing fa
ncier, who also ran a bottling works in McAfee. Prohibition came in 1920, and Ruban sold the hotel to McAfee contractor, Samuel B. Martin in 1925. The old hotel built by Squire Bill in 1872 met a quasi doom in March 1935, soon after John and Laura Hovencamp bought it. It was badly damaged and gutted by a fire that had started in an old rear ice house. The rebuilt structure scarcely resembled the old one. The Hovencamps sold the tavern in 1955. In August of 1995, a major electrical fire destroyed the entire kitchen and Package Goods store, with heavy smoke damage to the Tap & Dining Rooms. The all wood building was restored in six months, and reopened its doors on St. Patrick's Day of 1996. In 2002, the 130th anniversary of the Old Hotel's existence, a new extension to the building was added to accommodate the growing population of McAfee. This hostelry, The George Inn, is more popular today than ever, and is still serving good fare to its' patrons after 142 years of operation.
