Thousands of weary travelers coming off the Appalachian Trial have relied on the Doyle Hotel in Duncannon for a good night's rest and a shower. But now, it's the hotel that needs some relief.

Owners Pat and Vickey Kelly owe about $9,000 in back taxes on the property. And if they can't pay their tax bill by March 22, they'll default on their bank loan.

"We'd lose everything," said Vickey Kelly. "We'd lose our home, we'd lose our business and we'd still owe all this money."

The Doyle Hotel - which originally started out as a three-story hotel in the 1770s - has garnered a following from Appalachian Trail hikers who depend on it for an affordable break from camping.

The Kellys have started the "Save the Doyle" campaign. They have created a GoFundMe page and friends are developing a merchandise campaign to cover the two years of back taxes and some property repairs.

The historic Doyle Hotel

The Doyle Hotel, though it wasn't called that, started out as a three-story, wooden lodge in the 1770s. The hotel served as a place to rest along the often-traveled Susquehanna River. Famous writer Charles Dickens once stayed at the hotel.

The property burned down and was rebuilt in the early 1900s. The hotel went through several owners - including Adolphus Busch, of Anheuser-Busch fame - until it was purchased by Jim "Doc" Doyle in 1944.

Doyle owned the property until the 1990s and it went through some more people's hands. Eventually, it came up for sale in the 2000s.

The Kelly's Doyle Hotel

The Kellys saved some money and got a bank loan to purchase the hotel in 2001. The Kellys, who have been married for 37 years, admit they had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

Neither Pat nor Vickey Kelly had any experience running a hotel, or the rough-and-tumble bar and restaurant on the bottom floor. Everything they learned about the hotel business was on-the-job training.

"We were rather naive when we bought this place," Pat Kelly said.

Soon after taking over ownership, the Kellys sought to make some positive changes to what was considered a "nuisance bar."

"We wanted a restaurant where families and grandma and grandpa can come into and relax and have a nice meal without being harassed," Pat Kelly said.

To which Vickey Kelly added, "Just because you're in a bar doesn't mean you can't have your manners."

The Kellys cracked down on the fighting, the loud music and the smoking and made improvements to the kitchen. Slowly but surely, they said, they improved the atmosphere and made it more welcoming.

"We have a nice list of customers now," Pat Kelly said. "Families bring their young ones in here. They're comfortable and we take care of them."

Thousands of pictures, postcards and thank you cards have been sent to the Doyle Hotel from hikers.

'Dirty hikers' welcome

Every year, thousands of people attempt to hike 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail. Most nights are spent camping. But there are some areas, like Duncannon, that have a hotel nearby that serves hikers.

Enter the Doyle Hotel. The four-story, zero-frills brick hotel is located on Market Street, about a block off of the trail.

Pat Kelly said the hotel had only served about 400 travelers a year because the last owners had turned away "dirty hikers."

Seeing the potential of serving the Appalachian Trail travelers, Pat Kelly said they made it more open to hikers. They charge $25 for a room and an extra $10 for people who want to crash on the floor with their friends.

Now, the hotel serves about 1,200 hikers a year.

Unfortunately, not enough hikers are staying at the hotel to keep the business' financials above water. Hikers stay for one night, maybe two, from May to July and from August to September.

In the winter months, no one is there. The slumping revenue from the bar and restaurant can't make up for a lack of travelers.

'They're good people'

Just inside the hotel's entrance is a wall covered with photos. The Kellys have received thousands of photos and postcards over the years from people that have completed the Appalachian Trail.

Pat Kelly points out particular photos of men and women who have stayed at the Doyle Hotel. Personal messages, well wishes and thank yous are scribbled on the back of the photos and postcards.

They thank the Kellys for providing such an affordable place for hikers. They thank them for transportation to the nearby grocery store. They thank them for all the small things they've done to help hikers.

"They're good people," Pat Kelly said as he looked over the photo-covered wall. "They've been good to us."

The Doyle Hotel has served the Duncannon community for more than 100 years.

A community affected

The closing of the Doyle Hotel would have an impact on more than just the Kellys. It would effect all the businesses that rely on the hikers that stay at the hotel.

When hikers stay at the Doyle Hotel, they spend a day doing their laundry at the nearby laundromat, shopping at Mutzabaugh's Market and eating at one of the local restaurants.

If the hotel closes, the Kellys said the hikers will hike past Duncannon without spending any time or money in the community.

"This place is needed in this town," said Pat Kelly.

"[The hikers] hit all the bars, the ice cream shops, the pizza shops, the grocery store, the laundromat."

If they were unable to raise the money, Pat Kelly said they would be OK. Pat Kelly said he has a friend who can get him a part-time job at a nearby grocery store. That job and social security checks should keep them surviving.

"I'm 74 years old this year, so I'm getting to a point where I only have a few more years that I'm functional, he said. "I'd like to live out those years here."

Pat Kelly said people in the community have been willing to help in whatever way they can. People have loaned them $60 here, $100 there to keep the doors open. The loans have turned into gifts.

Loyal customers have done what they can, he said, to make sure the Doyle Hotel stays.

"We've got great friends," Pat Kelly said.