#5367 - Pineville Tavern, Buckingham, PA - 9/1/23

If you love American history you have to love Bucks County, and if you love old bars this is prime territory. One of these is the Pineville Tavern, constructed circa 1742 here in a village that straddles the townships of Buckingham and Wrightstown, just north of Philadelphia. For more history I will cite the tavern's web site:

'Built in the 18th century, the Pineville has seen many transformations—from feed mill to general store to hotel and, finally, to the Tavern.

By 1765, the original residence was converted to an inn along the busy Philadelphia-New York City route, serving stagecoach drivers and hungry locals alike. It became a central meeting place within the community. A landmark. 

With an addition to the property in 1797, the Pineville Hotel was born. In the mid 1800s, when liquor licenses became mandatory, we were one of the original 13 recipients of the distinction within the storied Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Pineville Tavern, Buckingham Township, PA

Fast forward to the 1950s when we became a general store to boot. Then, in 1969, the Turner Brothers (Hugh, Jack and Joe) purchased the Pineville. At the time, the bar only seated nine and offered cold sandwiches. That bar was expanded, and the kitchen was renovated with the addition of a grill, fryer, and pizza oven. Shaffer, Schlitz and Schmidt's were the tavern’s main taps. 

The Abruzzese family purchased the Pineville Tavern in 1989 and have subsequently flourished the brand with strategic additions to the property, an elevated menu, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.'    (pinevilletavern.squarespace.com) 

Of course this part of the country was deep into the Revolutionary War, and the website further describes the tavern itself as briefly right in the thick of it:

'In December of 1776, Alexander Hamilton negotiated the release of Continental General William Alexander, formerly known as Lord Sterling, from his captivity among the fable and feared Hessian forces.

On December 15th, 1776, Sterling rejoined Commander-In-Chief, George Washington & Hamilton at their traveling headquarters on Pineville Road: less than 1 mile from the    Pineville Tavern. Sterling, who had yet to procure lodgings, was then accompanied by Hamilton to the Pineville Inn. Sterling urgently insisted that he speak to the Army's Chief Intelligence Officer in private once the pair arrived at the then-35 year-old hotel.

Once arrived, Sterling, who was formally educated in Frankfurt, Germany, and thus fluent in the Central German dialect, disclosed to Hamilton and the Intelligence Officer, that, toward the very end of his captivity, he had overheard that the balance of the Hessian forces were currently barracked not 10 miles down the Delaware River in Trenton, NJ.

Then, in what is now the Pineville Tavern, Alexander Hamilton began to articulate what became known informally as the "Pineville Plan." Just 10 days later, on Christmas Night 1776, Washington would execute that exquisite plan by crossing the Delaware River to lay siege upon the unsuspecting Hessian forces. This masterful military stroke would turn the tide of the Revolutionary War and help solidify, in perpetuity, the since- timeless conviction that the world ought never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens could forever change the world.'     (pinevilletavern.com)

(Note: I am compiling a list of the oldest and most historic bars in Pennsylvania here:

https://www.rotgut.org/home/oldest-bars-in-pennsylvania )

While the Abruzzese family have attempted to restore it to its 1797 appearance, retaining an original fireplace, downstairs door, chestnut wood bar and some original windows, they have also substantially expanded upon it. Today it seats 135 indoors, with 70 more seats in the former patio, now converted to a fully enclosed garden space with banana trees, vines, hanging ferns, and lush foliage.

The menu is highly diverse selection of comfort foods mixed with upscale choices, including a famous snapper turtle soup, pan roasted sea bass, and eggplant Napoleon. The inside bar features an interesting, ornate, antique back bar, which seems like it may have been originally designed for a barber shop or soda shop? This is surrounded by a bar room that has somehow retained it's divey old neighborhood joint vibe, with wooden panels holding up animal heads. "The Garden" room also contains a small bar.

If anyone has any additional historical insights, I would love to hear them.

1098 Durham Rd, Pineville, PA 18946 - (215) 598-3890
Est. 1765 or earlier - Building constructed: 1742
Previous bars in this location: None known 
Web site: pinevilletavern.com - facebook - instagram 
Articles Ranked: buckscountymag - buckscountytaste - phillyburbs - onlyinyourstate - buckscountyherald - buckscotoday - yelp - tripadvisor - paeats - 6abc - buckscountytaste

#5686 - The Hitching Post, Milford Township, OH (Darrtown) - 3/30/2024

From the outside the Hitching Post looks pretty unremarkable, a building clad in tan vinyl siding above red painted wooden shingles along state route 177 in the unincorporated community of Darrtown, Ohio. Unfortunately it seems that the remaining portion of the cool old neon sign appear to have been removed in 2008, and now small black and white signs featuring a rearing bronco beckon visitors. Inside is a fairly typical neighborhood bar, with a large menu of contemporary pub food, trivia nights, and open mic musical performances.

But people have been trundling past -- and stopping in for a drink in -- this place for over two centuries. In the early years of the 19th century it was a path for drovers driving livestock to the slaughterhouses of Cincinnati. A few decades later it was a stop on the Hamilton-Fairborn Stage Coach line. Conrad Darr laid out the village of Darrtown in 1818, one year after Abram Darr established the Hitching Post here. Stagecoach passengers "could get a free drink or a gallon of whiskey for 50 cents in the customer’s jug-or 75 cents a gallon, if the tavern furnished the jug." (beerinfo)

The 1817 founding date is noted on the signs, which would make it the oldest bar in Ohio, and the locals bring receipts. History buffs have assembled a list of owners on the darrtown.org site (see list below), along with pictures of various artifacts and newspaper articles. Thirteen years before federal prohibition, the locals voted Milford dry (Milford Township is the municipality that contains Darrtown), and it appears that the business carried on as a boarding house for that time. 

One past owner remembered particularly fondly by long-time locals is Earl "Red" Huber, who took over the bar at some point during the 1940s. Huber is remembered in large part for his generosity, including annual Christmas parties to benefit local children. In addition he is remembered for his long friendship with Milford resident and longtime Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers manager Walter Alston. Alston was from nearby Venice, Ohio, and spent his off seasons in Milford. As a result visitors to Darrtown included Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Don Sutton, Maury Wills and Vin Scully. The community adopted the Dodgers and celebrated with a bonfire and parade when the Dodgers won it all. (cincinnati.com) 

The latest owners, Brittany Colson and business partner Evan Cusmano, took over the business in October 2022, and I chatted with Britt on this visit. We compared notes on speakeasies around the country and she told me that at some point in the next few years they'd like to open a speakeasy upstairs. I'm not that close, but I'd love to come back if and when that happens, and thanks to Britt I have a number of other bars to add to my to-do list.

History of Owners from darrtown.org:

1817 - Mr. Abram F. Darr opened the Hitching Post.

1851 (February 25th) - Mr. Darr sold to Kiger and Kiger.

circa 1861-1865 - Kigers sold to John McMechan during the Civil War.

1869 (April 17) - Charles Otto became the owner on April 17, 1869.

1872 (January 15) - Jacob Hinkle purchased the property.

1877 (September 22) - Hannah Zimmerman assumed ownership.

1899 - The Schuck family bought the establishment.

1925 - The Shucks sold to Oscar L. Irwin.

1932 (January 20) - Mr. Irwin sold to Pauline Wiley.

1944 or 1949 (August 6) Pauline Wiley sold to Earl F. Huber.

Circa early 1980's - George Brockman purchased the property, following the passing of Earl "Red" Huber

1997 (January 10) George Brockman sold to Martha Bowling.

2000 (May 30) Martha Bowling sold to Lawrence W. Plants.

2000 (June 20) Lawrence Plants sold to Martha Bowling.

2001 (March 8) Martha Bowling sold to Nancy Pitman and Glenda Hall.

2012 (March 16) Nancy Pitman and Glenda Hall sold to Sean Hurley.

2014 (In the fall) Sean Hurley sold to Pat and Tasha Cain.

2023 Pat and Tasha Cain sold to Brittany Colson and Evan Cusmano.

4319 Hamilton Richmond Rd, Oxford, OH 45056 - (513) 255-9256
Est. 1817 
Web site: facebook 
Articles: darrtown.org - beer.info - yelp 

#5829 - Nibsy's Pub, Syracuse, NY - 7/2/2024

Nibsy's Pub, Syracuse, New York

From Syracuse.com: 

'Dennis “Nibsy” Ryan first opened his bar and restaurant at the corner or Ulster and North Wilbur streets in 1890. It’s regarded as the oldest tavern in Syracuse.

The first generation of Ryans raised 10 children in an apartment above Nibsy’s. One son, William Ryan – who also went by Nibsy – continued to run it until 1967. Groucho Hewitt bought it from the Ryans, then sold it to Jack McGroarty, who changed the name.

In 1990, Syracuse firefighters bought the bar and rechristened it Nibsy’s. They got William Ryan’s permission. “As long as we didn’t have go-go girls, as he put it, we could do it,” says Joe Mullen, one of three of the current owners. (The other two are John Cowin and Bob Brazell.)

Nibsy’s is known for its pizza and wings, its Irish ancestry and its ability to attract loyal patrons ranging from softball teams to politicians to sports fans.'

The Syracuse Herald American adds that after Dennis and Catherine Ryan opened the place, 

'Members of the Ryan family operated the business until the late 1960s, including a long period when the proprietors were William "Nibsy" Ryan and his borther, Patrick "Bounce" Ryan.

...

The nickname "Nibsy" was first attached to Dennis Ryan, but no one seems to where the nickname came from.

...

Nibsy (William) recalls that during Prohibition the saloon was never raided and was open all the time.'

ThisIsCNY adds:

'The original pub owner “Nibsy” Ryan handed down the idea that “to be in your nibs” defined a guy with a presence -- someone who wore fancy clothes and carried mystique. That’s why they called the pub Nibsy’s.'

In March of 2005, long time patrons JP and Nichole Carlyle took ownership Mullen, Corwin, and Brazell.

I'm not clear on how long and for what years it was officially named "Nibsy's," although it seems to have been called that by Tipperary Hill neighborhood locals for many decades, including the years when the name was officially something else.

Beyond the history it is a fairly typical neighborhood Irish pub, on a corner in the suburbs, serving standard contemporary pub food with 18 beers on tap.

201 Ulster St, Syracuse, NY 13204 - (315) 476-8423
Est. 1890, 1990 "Nibsy" name restored - Building constructed: 1890
Previous bars in this location: Unknown names?
Web site: nibsyspub.com - facebook - instagram - twitter
Reviews: syracuse.com - syracuse.com - yelp - tripadvisor 

#5790 - Ulrich's 1868 Tavern, Buffalo, NY - 5/31/2024

Ulrich's 1868 Tavern, Buffalo, NY

Ulrich's is currently open only Wednesday through Friday afternoons, and I was unable to make it in previous trips to Buffalo, NY, but it was worth the wait. As the name implies, the bar is located in a space that has at least included a saloon since the fall of 1868, when young German immigrant Fredrick Schrerie opened a grocery-saloon in the same brick bar space that stands today. This includes the prohibition years, when Hasenpheffer Club speakeasy operated on the second floor, with Canada conveniently close, and with the aid of a mechanical lift that remains in the building to this day. (The speakeasy was raided at least once, on May 8, 1926.)

Ulrich's 1868 Tavern, Buffalo, NY

The buffalonet.org site provides some context for the days of the bar's founding:

'At the time, the neighborhood surrounding the saloon was fast becoming both a fashionable German enclave and the center of Buffalo's brewing industry.

Five major breweries were within a few blocks of Ulrichs; Buffalo Co-Op at High at Michigan, Empire at Main and Burton, German-America at Main and High, Christian Weyand at Main and Goddell, and the Ziegele Brewing at Main and Virginia. The first Lager Beer in Buffalo was brewed about 100 yards from Ulrichs by Albert Ziegele, at Main and Virginia streets in the early 1850's.

Buffalo was an exciting post Civil War boom town, fed by German immigrants that settled Buffalo's East Side. The book "A Pictorial History of Buffalo and Erie County; Second Look", describes the neighborhood and places like Ulrichs. "As bootmakers, tinsmiths, clockmakers, bakers, brewers and stonecutters, working class Germans lived a relatively prosperous and settled life. Not a few were grocers who also kept a back room grog shop. These emerged as the centers of neighborliness. This was the kind of patient business that, while not wildly profitable, yielded a lifetime of respectable income."

Imagine a tree lined, young bustling neighborhood, filled with a constant smell of the damp sweetness of malt and the bitter edge of hops, the endless horse drawn beer wagons and the constant chatter of German being spoken. You stand a better chance of someone understanding English in Munich, Germany today, than at the corner of Ellicott and Virginia streets in Buffalo in 1868. Ulrichs' brick bar room stood then, as it does today, along with 1/3 of the dining room.

It was a place where one could buy anything from soap to sausage, where local beer, be it Ziegele's Lager or Weyand's Munich dark, was served in house or taken home in a pail.'

In 1883, the grocery half of the business was dropped, and the apartments upstairs became hotel rooms. The name "Ulrich's" dates back to 1906, when beer wagon driver Michael Ulrich took over the place. In 1910 he purchased the saloon outright from the Ziegele Brewery and named it "Ulrich's Sample Room." During his ownership the saloon would become a common meeting place for "political bigwigs as well as the literati and celebrated persons of the time." Ulrich would go on to run the bar for 41 years, and while I am not certain of this, but it seems like it may (?) have consistently retained the "Ulrich's" name ever since. 

Since that time Ulrich's has had a series of owners, with more than one losing the business to bankruptcy and at least one having to overcome city plans for its demolition. Thankfully in early 2014 it was obtained by preservation-minded local criminal defense attorney Tom Eoannou, who leased the operation to local bar owner Salvatore Buscaglia. Sal and his team invested four months into renovating the bar, preserving vintage elements and adding historical photos. But the star of the show is the beautiful black cherry and stained glass bar that was acquired from the Iroquois Hotel in 1910.

The bar's web site and local historical sites have provided some really nice lists of owners and milestones, some of which I have replicated below for reference, with more available at the links below. The beer, liquor and food were upgraded as well, which makes this a nice stop for dinner, as well as a must visit for any bar and/or history buffs. 

Ulrich's Tavern Historical Milestones 

1868 - Fredrick Schrerier, a young German immigrant, opened a grocery-saloon

1883 - The grocery part of the operation would be dropped

Became a "tied house" owned by 2 different breweries until 1910 - Christian Weyand Brewery and the Ziegele Brewing Company

1880s-1919 - George Fromholtz ran a barber shop win what is now the beer storeroom

1896 - New York State Raines Law prohibited saloons from serving drinks on Sunday, but allowed hotels with 10+ rooms to do so. The upstairs portion of the building was converted into a hotel.

1906 - A 30-year-old man named Michael Ulrich took over the saloon

1910 - Michael Ulrich bought the saloon from the Ziegele Brewery, renaming it Michael Ulrich's Sample Room

1920-1933 - Prohibition. The downstairs became a delicatessen and restaurant. The barbershop and upstairs hotel were closed and the second floor became a private speakeasy

1946 - Michael Ulrich sells the bar to its first non-German owner, French born William Levea, who ran the bar for 3 years.

1949 - Nichlos Riesz purchased and ran the bar for 5 years.

1954 - Jim Daley and his wife Erika took over the business

1970 - The City took the building through eminent domain as part of an urban renewal program. The Daleys stayed open and paid the City rent while they fought it.

1982 - The Daleys won a 12 year court fight to keep the bar standing as an urban renewal program swept through, leveling much of the neighborhood

2000 - The Daley's son Jim Jr. took over the bar

August 2012 - The bar is briefly closed due to back taxes and Jim Daley Jr. files for bankruptcy

October 2013 - The bar is closed again after failing to keep up with payments under its bankruptcy plan

February 2014 - Tom Eoannou purchased the building and Salvatore G. Buscagli becomes sole proprietor of soon to be re-opened "Ulrich's 1868 Tavern"

June 2014 - Ulrich's re-opens

Source:  preservationready.org  

List of Ulrich's owners with historical source notes

ULRICH'S SALOON KEEPERS HONOR ROLE

1868-1870 FREDRICK SCHMUERER 1895-1896 JOHN THEUER

1871-1880 JACOB MILLER         1896-1905 GEORGE DOBMEIER

1881-1882 CHARLES MAYSER 1905-1946 MICHAEL ULRICH

1883-1889 GEORGE MARTZLUFFT 1946-1949 WILLIAM LEVEA

1890-1892 JOSEPH SCHUHMAN 1949-1954 NICHOLAS RIESZ

1892-1895 GEORGE FISHER 1954-PRESENT ERIKA & JIM DALEY

SPECIAL NOTE: ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN LISTED ABOVE RAN THE BUSINESS,

SOME ALSO OWNED THE BUILDING, OTHERS LEASED THE BUILDING.

A: ULRICHSS WAS FIRST LISTED AS A BUSINESS IN THE 1869 CITY 

DIRECTORY, UNDER THE HEADING OF GROCERY-SALOON. ON PAGE 528, COLUMN 2, 

LINE 9.

CITY DIRECTOIES OF THE TIME WERE PUBLISHED IN EARLY PART OF 

THE YEAR ISSUED, WITH THE INFORMATION BEING GATHERED IN THE LATER PART OF

PREVIOUS YEAR.

B: STREET NUMBERS ON ELLICOTT CHANGED IN 1900.

BEFORE 1900 ULRICH'S ADDRESS WAS 614 ELLICOTT ST.

IN 1900 AND AFTER ULRICH'S ADDRESS IS 674 ELLICOTT 5T3

C: ULRICH'S WAS LISTED AS A GROCERY-SALOON FROM 1868 TILL 1883.

"MANY GERMANS WERE GROCERS WHO AL50 KEPT A BACK ROOM GROG SHOP.

THESE EMERGED A THE CENTER OF NEIGHBORLINES. THIS WAS THE KIND OF 

PATIENT BUSINESS THAT WHILE NOT WILDLY PROFITABLE, YIELDED A LIFETIME 

OF RESPECTABLE INCOME" SECOND LOOK A PICTORAL HISTORY OF BUFFALO AND ERIE

COUNTY.

Source:  buffalonet.org 

674 Ellicott St, Buffalo, NY 14203
Est. 1906 (as Ulrich's), 1868 as bar/saloon - Building constructed: 1868
Previous bars in this location: Dobmeier Hotel
Web site: ulrichs1868tavern.com - facebook 
Articles Ranked: ulrich.buffalonet.org - preservationready.org - buffalorising- buffalorising - jesse cook (prohibition raid) - onlyinyourstate - forgottenbuffalo -  buffalospree - stepoutbuffalo - chowhound (Anthony Boudain favorites) - buffalodrinks - wyrk - unvegan - ediblereflections -  afar - 3rdarm 

#5730 - Crazy Fox Saloon, Bucyrus, OH - 4/19/2024

Crazy Fox Saloon, Bucyrus, OH

Through some great serendipity I happened upon the Crazy Fox Saloon in Bucyrus, Ohio while stopping in town for a coffee. This is located in a hotel constructed in 1916 and now used as apartments. More importantly to me, there was not only a nice bar on the main floor, but a genuine speakeasy on the floor below, frequented by no less than Al Capone, on his railway trips from New York to Chicago.

Building manager Tina and bar manager Annette generously showed me the speakeasy and other antique features, including glass bricks in a portion of the ceiling which could be used to keep an eye on who's coming in the front door, and the oldest operating elevator in Ohio (107 years old as I write this). They also showed me the previous entrances to old tunnels, which once could be used as an alternative/emergency exit, but which were bricked in off several years ago now.

Original brick from 1920s speakeasy
below the Crazy Fox Saloon, Bucyrus, OH

The speakeasy area, which started use in 1920 and is currently reserved for tours and special events, features the original brick, with a corner space that is said to be the one preferred by Capone (who may have also been persuaded to spend some time in the area by the adjacent brothels along the railway here).

I do not know the age of the bar on the main floor, but it features a back bar that appears to be from the art deco or mid century era, three pool tables, and four taps split between old school corporate brews and craft pours.

Inside 107-year-old elevator,
said to be the oldest in Ohio

The Crazy Fox is located in the small historic core of Bucyrus ("byoo-sigh-russ"), where bright murals vie for attention with every cornice and corbel of the many fine old buildings. It's the sort of town where shops feature photographs of the Bratwurst Festival queens, and the coffee shop shares space with an Amish furniture store. The bar and rest of the building are currently owned by Brian Rockwell, who is also executive director of the Crawford County Solid Waste District. Rockwell bought the property from Larry Williams in 2017. It was Williams who named the bar the Crazy Fox, after taking control of the building April 1, 1981, and what was previously called "The Plaza" bar. In addition to liquor and a large selection of canned beers, the bar serves breakfast and contemporary tavern fair (e.g. wings, burgers, sandwiches).

It's a nice top for anyone, but an especially happy discovery for someone interested in historical bars.

Glass ceiling/floor allowed speakeasy
staff to keep an eye on who was
approaching the front door.

114 W Mansfield St, Bucyrus, OH 44820 - (419) 562-1256
Est. April 1, 1981 - Building constructed: 1916
Previous bars in this location: The Plaza 
Web site: crazyfoxsaloon.com - facebook - instagram 
Reviews: richlandsource - crawfordcountynow - crawfordcountynow  

#4988 - Stone House, Wharton Township, PA - 1/29/2023

Historic Stone House Restaurant, Farmington PA

The Stone House Restaurant and Country Inn is a semi-formal bar, restaurant and hotel in a historic building just north of the Laurel Highlands and West Virginia border. Along the National Road first proposed by George Washington, and approved by President Jefferson, it is also just two miles east of Fort Necessity, where Lt. Col. George Washington fought his first battle against a large force of French and Indians. It first opened as an inn in 1822, and was largely closed to the public from 1909 until 1964, when it was purchased and reopened by the remarkable Fannie Ross.

I am indebted to the small publication Stone House Legends & Lore by Marci Lynn McGuinness, from which I shall liberally assimilate and quote:

"The new Fayette Springs Hotel opened in 1822, affording spring dwellers a comfortable inn. Billiards, a ten-pin alley, swings, fine meals, and overnight accommodations attracted wealthy visitors."

The building was constructed by longtime U.S. Congressman Andrew Stewart, who was the first to make industrial use of the power of Ohiopyle Falls with a sawmill above the drop. His sons built a large mill there and expanded their father's Ferncliff Hotel. Stewart died in 1872 and in 1877 Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart sold the hotel to Captain John Messmore, who leased the business to Samuel Lewis and then William Snyder.

On August 3, 1909, George Flavius Titlow purchased the building and property from Albert and Annie Boyd. Titlow immediately added a large addition to the building and named it the Stone House. He installed parque floors and fancy woodwork with fireplaces in every bedroom. This was used as the family's summer and weekend home.

After Titlow died, the family leased the building to Jack and Ethel Ray from 1941 to 1946, where Ethel ran Ray's Stone House restaurant and rented rooms (there was no tavern). In 1944 the Titlows sold the place to Rev. James Bouras, who a month later sold it to Stephen Samonas. Samonas built a tavern by enclosing the left porch, and leased the business to several people over the years, including Baron Karl and Russell Shearer. Upon his death in 1963, Samonas's sister sold the building to Fannie Ross and her friend James "Gene" Cardine.

"The mountain people didn't want me up here. I was an outsider. They did a lot of things trying to get rid of us, but they couldn't." -- Fannie Ross, quoted in Stone House Legends & Lore

Fenalba "Fannie" Cassurole was born in Connellsville in 1907. Her mother died in childbirth while she was three and her father passed within six months of that. She was adopted by her Uncle Carl only to see him perish in a mine accident on the day they were set to return to Italy. Subsequently raised by her Uncle Chubby, an orphanage, and the nuns of a local Catholic school, Fannie would go on to an arranged marriage. When her husband's gambling resulted in their bills not being paid, Fannie built a career as a bootlegger and owner of a speakeasy. Her husband died of black lung in 1950.

Fannie would hold her own with some very rough characters back in her day, and according to Marci Lynn McGuinness this included shooting three men: 

• 'The miners got out of hand in her Cardale speakeasy one time and Fannie told them to keep it down. Her husband was ill and trying to sleep. One of the men hit Fannie and they got into it. He knocked her down in back of a booth and she found a bottle and broke it. She went after him and they fought more.  Then he kicked her dog. "He kicked my dog who was trying to help me. That made me mad. I went behind the bar and got my gun and shot him in the pelvis."'
• 'Another time I had a little place called the Coffee Pot on Route 40 and this man wouldn't pay his bill.... There was about six of them from Keister. They were drunk and I had two of my friends sitting at a table. I told them "You pay the bill or else." "Or else what?" one of them asked. I didn't even take the gun out of my pocket I just shot him."'
• "One time a carload of young men stopped late at night at the Stone House. They wanted to use the phone but Fannie wouldn't let them in.... Carl came and gave one of the guys a ride to Hopwood to get some gas. Fannie told the rest of them to stay in the car while Carl did them a favor. One of the men challenged her and came toward her in an unfriendly manner. She shot him in the foot."

Fannie and James opened the new Stone House restaurant in April of 1964. Fannie would cook ravioli, spaghetti, lasagne and gnocchis, and Gene would cut steaks to whatever thickness the customer wanted. After Gene passed away in 1973, her son Carl and his family moved back to town to help keep the business running. Fannie finally sold the business to Fred Ziegler in 1995 when both hers and Carl's health issues made continuing impossible.

In addition to fulfilling Fannie's exacting requirements of new owners, Fred and Rhonda Ziegler put in a very substantial amount of remodeling and upgrades, including uncapping original fireplaces, exposing the original hardwood floors, and furnishing it with various antique pieces including what MAY be a Stradivarius violin. They also brought in accomplished chef Carl Fazio, who had served an apprenticeship at the Hyehold and worked the second inaugural dinner for Ronald Reagan. Chef Carl would go on to be named 1996 chef of the year by the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Culinary Association.

Today, the inn continues the tradition of a formal chef with an Italian-focused menu, and hosting visitors to the local springs, rivers and hills for over two centuries.

3023 National Pike, Farmington, PA 15437 - (724) 329-8876
Est. 1963 (first opened as an inn 1822) - Building constructed: 1822
Previous bars in this location: Fayette Springs Hotel 
Web site: stonehouseinn.com - facebook 
Reviews: exploreroute40 - yelp - tripadvisor - ourhauntedtravels - wikipedia 

Book: Stone House Legends & Lore 

#5500 - Slippery Noodle Inn, Indianapolis, IN - 11/24/23

The Slippery Noodle Inn, Indianapolis, IN
Painted sign said to date back to 1850 origins

I've added the Slippery Noodle Inn to my most favorite bars list for its history and for its current incarnation as a great blues hub. While headliners play in the back room, I enjoyed regulars Reverend Robert and Washboard Shorty, and learning the history of the place from enthusiastic bartender Zach, whose father once worked the place. 

It is such a staple of Indy nightlife and the blues scene that it has a mammoth list of past celebrities who have performed and or visited, e.g. Greg Allman, Billy Joel, John Mellencamp, Albert Collins, Edgar Winter, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Harrison Ford, Dave Matthews, The Blues Brothers Band, John Entwistle, Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Neil Diamond, Robert DeNiro, Liza Minnelli, Harry Connick, Jr., and Spike Lee.

The Slippery Noodle Inn, Indianapolis, IN

The bar makes certain claims to being the oldest continually operating bar in the original building in the state of Indiana; and while this relies on us granting its history under several different names and beating out the Knickerbocker in Layfayette (est. 1935) in some way I don't quite understand, there's no questioning the great history of building and gin joints here. And with such antiquity it has been found, inevitably, to be haunted.

It was great to get all the pointers from Zach, but still the bar's website

Reverend Robert and Washboard Shorty
Slippery Noodle Inn, Indianapolis, IN

"The  Slippery Noodle Inn was originally founded in 1850 as the Tremont House. It is Indiana's oldest, continually operated bar in the original building. The Noodle is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Originally it was a roadhouse (predecessor to the Holiday Inn) and a bar. It has traditionally been owned by people of German descent and it was one of the first German clubs in Indianapolis. The Noodle has been through several name changes over the years. In the 1860's the name was changed to the Concordia House. This name came from the first German Lutheran immigrant ship to land in the new world (the Concord)....

In later years the name was changed to the Germania House. It remained the Germania House until the start of World War I at which time German associations were to be avoided so the owner, Louis Beck, changed the name to Beck's Saloon. Prior to Prohibition, Walter Moore purchased the saloon and named it Moore's Beer Tavern. During Prohibition it was renamed Moore's Restaurant (although beer was still made in the basement). After Prohibition ended in 1935, it was renamed Moore's Beer Tavern. In the late 1940’s Boris Petercheff purchased the saloon.... Boris ran the tavern until early 1963 when Emelia Finehout, the property owner, took over. She found out all too quickly that she did not enjoy running a tavern, and promptly put the business up for sale.

Harold and Lorean Yeagy (Hal’s parents) bought the bar in late 1963, taking final possession on December, Friday the 13th. The "Slippery Noodle Inn" was named by Hal's dad after a lengthy family debate (Hal was six years old). Names were thrown out for the family to vote on and at about 5 a.m. "Slippery Noodle Inn" sounded pretty darn good. The Noodle has remained in the Yeagy family since that time. Hal took over the bar in 1985 after his father's death and since that time it has grown from a one room lunch counter into the Midwest's premiere blues club. [Note: in March 2023 the bar was sold to Jason Amonett and Sean Lothridge.]   

The "Inn" has been used in all types of activities. In the Civil War years it was a way station for the Underground Railroad. Later years saw a bordello open in the once luxurious Inn. It remained open until 1953 when a patron was killed. Two customers of the bordello got into an argument over one of the women, one killing the other and leaving the bloody knife on the bar. During Prohibition the Brady & Dillinger gangs used the building in back, originally built as a horse stable for the Inn, for target practice. Several of the slugs remain embedded in the lower east wall. In addition to liquor and beer being distilled in the building, cattle and swine were slaughtered and butchered in the basement. The meat hooks and water lines can still be found in the basement.

The ceiling in the front barroom is made from pressed tin. It was installed circa 1890. The "tiger oak" bar and back bar are well over a 100 years old and believed to be original. The trough at the edge of the bar was used as the cash register in the olden days. The "honor" system worked or else the colt 45 did! The Noodle is the oldest commercial building left standing in Indianapolis and the Tremont House sign painted on the north side of the building dates back to the 1850's."

 

372 S Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46225 - (317) 631-6974
Est. Dec 7, 1963 (1850 as Tremont House) - Building constructed: year
Previous bars in this location: Tremont House, Concordia House, Germania House, Beck's Saloon, Moore's Beer Tavern
Web site: slipperynoodle.com - facebook 
Articles ranked: thrillist - cbs4indy - indystar - yelp - tripadvisor - phantomhistory - breadedtenderloin - wikipedia - indyencyclopedia - hmdb (historical marker)

#5498 - St. Elmo Steak House, Indianapolis, IN - 11/24/23

St. Elmo Steak House, Indianapolis, IN

St. Elmo Steak House was founded in 1902 in Braden's Block of Indianapolis, constructed in 1875. It is said to be the oldest steak house in the country. Founded under the St. Elmo name and run as a relatively modest tavern for most of its life, the business expanded into the neighboring building, upgraded the menu, and added a top class wine cellar in 1996. The vibe is very much classic steak house, which, of course, benefits from the historic setting.

The restaurant and lounge both contain antique back bars -- probably Brunswick, but not standard models. Both bars contain round columns around a single central section. The restaurant bar tops the columns with cherub-faced capitals (ala Brunswick models such as the "Los Angeles"). It has large, egg-shaped appliques on the corners. This Tiger-maple bar is said to have been imported from the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Similar but not identical models reside in Glascott's in Chicago and the Smokehouse Saloon in Greybull, WY. The model in the restaurant's "1933 Lounge" is considerably more simple, featuring some oddly shaped (cracked?) pieces in the top facade, and an unusually simple trim framing the central mirrors.

The upscale steak house of today attracts business people and has been a favorite of people like Peyton Manning and NFL owners. (At certain times of year it is described as "an extension of the NFL combine.) It has been named an American Classic by the James Beard Foundation. The cocktail menu is not particularly exciting, but contains several classics. We also sampled St. Elmo's famous shrimp cocktail -- four large shrimp covered with their signature, burn-out-your-nosehair-spicy cocktail sauce. According to Wikipedia the restaurant orders four tons of horseradish a year.

127 S Illinois St, Indianapolis, IN 46225 - (317) 635-0636
Est. 1902 - Building constructed: 1875
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: stelmos.com - facebook - 1933lounge 
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