#4260 - Timber Inn, Pierce, ID - 6/17/2021

Timber Inn, Pierce, ID

The community of Pierce, Idaho began with the discovery of Gold on Orofino Creek by Elias D. Pierce and Wilbur F. Bassett in 1860. The party was led there by was by Jane, the daughter of Chief Timothy. The discovery was made on part of 7.5 million acres of land ceded to the Nez Perce tribe at the Walla Walla Council in 1855, and confirmed by treaty in 1859. Of course the promises of the treaty were systematically violated once gold was discovered in the area, with subsequent attempts to eject natives from the area leading to the Nez Perce War in 1877.

Soon after the gold strike, "Pierce was the first county seat for Shoshone County, which was established in January 1861 in Washington Territory and for most of its first year included most of present-day Idaho and Wyoming. The Pierce Courthouse, constructed in 1862, is Idaho's oldest public building. Idaho Territory was established in 1863, and the county seat moved north to the Silver Valley in Murray in 1884 (and to Wallace in 1898)."  (wikipedia)

The swarm of gold seekers soon moved on. "The resulting rush, estimated at as many as 6,000 men, among them many Chinese, was reduced years later by another strike elsewhere." But three decades later another resource would sustain the community. 'A father and son, C.D. and Nat Brown, came West in the 1890’s seeking new areas of timber and found the “green gold” they sought in the largest stand of white pine and other coniferous types in north Idaho’s Clearwater and Benewah counties and nearby hills. Word spread to their former workers in the timber depleted Great Lakes region, and many came out to establish homesteads which opened the land for lumbermen. In 1925 a railroad was built to facilitate hauling the harvest to mills, large and small, nearby.' (piercelibrary) 

Today the small city of about 500 people caters to outdoorsmen, hikers, hunters, and snowmobilers. And if you'd like either a night's stay or just a beer and meal in a setting that preserves a bit of the feel of those early days, you will want to make your way to the Timber Inn. I do not know how long the inn has been formally called "Timber Inn" or exactly how long it has included a bar, but the inn is said to have been established during the prohibition era, in 1926. 

Timber Inn, Pierce, ID

For the last 32 years before this visit, the inn has been run by Robby Harrel, whom I was lucky enough to chat with for a bit, and who let me check out the rooms upstairs. There are five rooms for rent, with a kitchen, laundry and sitting room available to all guests. The rooms tend to be decorated in period fashion, while the bar downstairs has a more eclectic collection of artifacts acquired by Robby over the years. The menu includes standard diner choices, along with steaks and chicken gizzards, but is best known for the 3/4 pound "Timber Burger." I had one of these myself, but like the vast majority of people who order it, I was unable to finish it.

If I am again in this area of northern Idaho I will definitely consider a stay at the inn.

Pierce, Idaho - 1860
(Photo from Wikipedia)

Timber Burger, Timber Inn, Pierce, ID

2 S Main St, Pierce, ID 83546 - (208) 464-2736

Bar Est. ? - Building constructed: 1926
Previous bars in this location: None known 
Web site: idahotimberinn.com - facebook 
Reviews: tripadvisor - yelp - roadtrippers 

#4678 - Black Bass Hotel, Lumberville, PA - 7/13/2022

Black Bass Hotel Tavern
Lumberville, PA

After a gorgeous drive from the Continental Tavern in Yardley, it might have been disappointing if the Black Bass Hotel Tavern was fairly pedestrian in appearance. But not to worry, as the historical site is currently a stunning setting and at its peak in the late afternoon sun and shadows. The tavern is set in the tiny village of Lumberville, a village in Solebury Township first settled by Revolutionary War veteran Colonel George Wall, and hence first known as "Wall's Landing."

My plan is usually to sit at the bar, but the beauty of the hour and the setting on the Delaware River demanded a patio seat. There I enjoyed some fine small dishes, while the family across from me discoursed in French. It seemed appropriate in this setting, as the weather, the water, the view made me feel this must feel somewhat like sitting on the French Riviera.

Black Bass Hotel Tavern
Lumberville, PA

A snippet of the history from the tavern's own web site: “Built in the 1740s, the Black Bass Hotel served as a haven for travelers, traders, and sportsmen. The famous tavern had many names through the years including Wall’s Tavern, Lumberville Hotel, Temple Bar, The Rising Sun and finally The Black Bass Hotel. As one of the oldest inns in the country, we are proud to be included in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Bass seeps with a rich history. One of the most notable documents that while George Washington is known to have slept in several historic properties throughout the Delaware Valley, he notably did not stay at the Bass. As Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, Washington was turned away by the innkeeper of the Bass who was a Tory and loyal to the British Crown. He made it clear that Washington was not welcome to stay. Shortly thereafter, just 14 miles south, George Washington organized the first move in a surprise attack against the Hessian forces. He and his troops crossed the Delaware River to Trenton, NJ on the morning of December 26, 1776. This proved a decisive victory in the American Revolutionary War that helped turn the tides in American’s favor."

A hotel is said to have first opened here in 1745, as a tavern under the name of the "Temple Bar."

More recently, the site notes:

"In 1833 a fire broke out in the Tavern resulting in extensive damage. Major Anthony Fry, the proprietor at the time, broke open the cellar doors and, at the risk of his own life, carried out a huge quantity of gunpowder that was being stored there. This stopped an inevitable explosion and saved the Bass from total destruction. We thought this feat worthy of naming one of our suites after him!

In the late nineteenth century, the Black Bass fell into decline and passed through several owners until it was purchased in 1949 by Herbert Ward. Herbie, as he was fondly known, rescued the Bass and ran it until just before his death 54 years later. He was passionate about history and was a devoted Anglophile. His expansive collection of British memorabilia, as well as hundreds of antiques and notable artwork, were lovingly restored under the guidance of the Thompson family. Herbie purchased the famed pewter bar in the Tavern at
auction which originally resided in Maxim's of Paris."

When exactly the tavern was first known as the "Black Bass" is not clear to me. In J.H. Battle's History of Bucks County, it is described by as such by the time that W. Horace Fell took ownership in in 1887. Bucks County Magazine cites a January 18, 1837 edition of the Bucks County Intelligencer that includes an advertisement for the Rising Sun Tavern operated by Anthony Ely in Lumberville, likely the same tavern in this tiny town. The same article also notes that it was long known as Lumberville Inn, and that an 1863 ad describes it as the estate of Jesse P. Forker.

In addition to the river view, the hotel includes some beautiful grounds, which make it an attractive selection for wedding ceremonies. And, of course, as with any building of such antiquity and history, it is widely believed to host a number of ghosts, including old Hans, one-time owner of the tavern, who was stabbed to death in the early 1800s.

While its Tory past may have precluded certain claims to history with General Washington and the founding fathers, today's Black Bass Hotel is probably the most pleasant dining and visiting experience of any of the historical taverns I have yet visited.

Old photo of the now Black Bass Hotel
(Photo from hotel's web site)

Black Bass Hotel, Lumberville, PA
(photo from hotel web site)

Est. 1887 or earlier as "Black Bass Hotel," 1745 as a tavern (Temple Bar) - Building constructed: 1745

Previous bars in this location: Temple Bar, Wall’s Tavern, Lumberville Hotel, The Rising Sun
Web site: blackbasshotel.com 
Articles: onlyinyourstate - nepascene - hauntedhouses - happeningmag - visitbuckscounty - americanpublichousereview - nytimes - thereporteronline - travelmaven - tripadvisor - newyorkoptimist 

#4677 - The Continental Tavern, Yardley, PA - 7/13/2022

Continental Tavern, Yardley, PA

Yardley Borough, Pennsylvania was incorporated in 1895, but the Yardleys first started settling in the area in 1682, originally with a purchase agreement for 500 acres from William Penn himself. The community of about 2,500 today, located just across the Delaware from New Jersey, has long been known to be a major stop on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. But it would be a century and a half after that war before some history buff new owners of a local hotel and tavern would unearth a motherload of artifacts from a long inaccessible chamber below the kitchen, to help flesh out their route and story.

Frank Lyons, owner, Continental Tavern

When I asked a few questions at the Continental Tavern in Yardley, PA in the summer of 2022, the staff there told me it was unfortunate that Frank wasn't there, as he was the main source of that sort of history. Frank Lyons, I would find out, was a retired commercial airline captain and partner in a small investment banking business before purchasing the Tavern in 2007, along with his wife Patty and daughter Kelly Lyons Vliet and her husband Sean. Frank was a revolutionary period history buff who had already participated with 15 to 20 people to annually re-enact the roles of the Massachusetts regiment that rowed the boats during Washington's crossing of the Delaware, just three miles down the road from the Tavern. (Frank plays the role of Colonel John Glover of the Marblehead, MA.)

Fortunately Frank arrived before I left, and informed of my questions, quite generously gave me a very interesting tour of the place. With Frank leading, the history reveals itself floor by floor, starting with the large number of artifacts on display in the bar itself. From there we went upstairs to some event spaces, displaying paintings and artifacts from the revolutionary war period, with much explanatory commentary from Frank, as well as many more artifacts from the tavern itself. On the third floor, which Frank has described as "the laboratory," one sees the cleaning and organizing process, complete with autoclave and rack after rack of antique items -- more than many historical museums. Finally, through a new, more accessible opening created just three weeks earlier, we entered the once hidden room which was slowly revealing its history and layer after layer of artifacts.

Though this chamber was a surprise to everyone, Frank and family knew the historical relevance of the hotel, and insisted on the means to restore it as part of the purchase. "Frank ... said the family has traced the property’s history back to the late 1700s, when it was an outbuilding of the Thomas Yardley estate. In 1808, it was sold as a shop and residence. By the 1840s, a town library occupied the second floor and the unlicensed tavern space functioned as a Temperance House. In the 1850s, the building also served boarders." (phillyburbs)

Susan Taylor, President of the Yardley Historical Association, added "The initial structure was built in 1845 as a temperance house and store. Then, in 1866 the proprietor received a license to operate a hotel with 18 rooms. A fierce blaze destroyed the building in 1876. The following year, it was rebuilt." (buckscountyintime)

Frank Lyons, re-enactment of 
the Delaware Crossing

Frank explained how, in the mid 1800s, owner Samuel Slack sought repeatedly to obtain a liquor license, over the fierce opposition of local women's temperance group in the Quaker town. He was finally successful in 1864, and said license is, of course, proudly displayed in the tavern today.

The transition to both a structure more true to its 19th century origins and to an attractive, viable business was described in Suburban Life Magazine: 

'Prior to settlement, the family presented their four-phase restoration plan to the Yardley Borough Planning Commission. The plan called for a total renovation of the three-story building, an upgrade to meet modern code standards, redesign of the entire first floor of the Tavern, and lastly, the reconstruction of a wrap-around porch to replicate the precise façade fashioned in 1877. The proposed plan sought to revive the building’s remarkable charm and revitalize the center of Yardley.

“In 1876, a fire destroyed the two story structure and it was rebuilt in 1877 on the same foundation in its current three-story configuration,” Frank says. “During our renovations, which began in late 2007, an inaccessible chamber was discovered under the kitchen … in the corner of the chamber was a stone tunnel, which ran deep into the ground. We began an archeological dig looking for evidence of the Underground Railroad. What we found so far is over 10,000 empty whiskey bottles from the Prohibition Era, as well as a number of artifacts from Yardley’s past.” Many of those bottles and artifacts are on display around the building.

Frank notes at the time of purchase, the Tavern’s first floor was a 116 seat bar and restaurant. On the second and third floors, however, were 18 small hotel rooms which had gone unused since the 1950’s. In April of 2008, Vliet and the Lyons’ reopened the Tavern with 110 seats in the first floor bar and restaurant. In 2011 the second floor reopened to feature a 60-seat special purpose room designed for catered events and overflow dining, in addition to a small meeting room and office. A new efficient kitchen “line” was designed by Ken Fuller—one of Eastern Pennsylvania’s most prominent kitchen engineers — to offer modern equipment, and productive work areas. The last of the renovations were completed in the spring of 2012 with the reconstruction of the exterior wrap-around porch containing 22 seats for outdoor dining. Today, the Continental Tavern remains a successful and vibrant local dining destination.

“In a soundbite, the Tavern serves ‘old fashioned American tavern fare with a curiously modern accent,’” Frank says. “We have a robust selection of standard tavern comfort foods, such as ribs, burgers, steaks and pot pies, which are prepared in our kitchen with the finest ingredients. Each week however, our chefs plan unique specials which rival the best fine dining establishments in the county. There’s something for everyone.”'

Frank described the careful process of the dig with a number of family members and employees dedicating their time to the efforts, each additional each downward going a bit further back in time. He told of local historians and Underground Railroad buffs believed there must have been just such a stop on their road to freedom.

Continental Tavern, Yardley, PA
First liquor license, 1864

'Millard Mitchell, the late grandson of a slave, was astounded when he visited the excavation in 2008. As a descendant of the borough’s African American community, he beamed, “This is what I’ve been looking for my whole life.” It confirmed childhood stories about the Continental.'  (phillyburbs)

The tavern's website describes the early process in more detail:

"During construction, a large chamber was found in the basement below the kitchen. The chamber was approximately 15 feet by 15 feet with 18 inch stone walls. There was no entrance into the chamber from the outside or from the rest of the basement, which means that there had to have been a trap door from above.

Construction workers had to enter the chamber to run mechanical systems through it. What they found inside was starling. One corner of the chamber contained a mysterious quarter circle stone wall. The chamber was 4 feet from floor to ceiling. As crews began to dig every shovelful of dirt contained unusual artifacts — alcohol bottles, apothecary items, figurines, personal care products, tungsten light bulbs, an enigmatic weapon, and numerous other items pictured here on the website.

A few stones were removed from the quarter circle stone wall to reveal a 5 foot diameter cylindrical stone tunnel which went deep into the ground. Local Underground Railroad historians indicated that the tunnel was connected to a series of tunnels which came up from the canal and connected the Tavern with 2 other Yardley structures. These buildings were way stations on the Underground Railroad which was in operation from the early 1800’s through the Civil War."

Remnants of the madam?
Continental Tavern, Yardley, PA

Finally there are, of course, the ghosts. One of these, Frank believes, is related to some artifacts found crammed into one the walls. He showed me a silver handle of an old purse, a bloodied corset, and the rusted remains of a revolver that would appear to confirm a story of a beautiful madam murdered during the tavern's time as a brothel. There's even a painting that is said to resemble the woman, and some confirmatory "evidence" of the story and artifacts from local paranormal experts. In general the building is said to be one of the most haunted in the area, with the ghost stories being one of the largest attractions for visitors.

I enjoy hearing the stories, but being the stodgy sort, most interested in the more tangible aspects of history, I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to see all the artifacts and operations, and to collect the historical commentary from Frank. I am so pleased to find people with a love of history investing their time and effort into preserving great locations like this, and keeping them alive for the public. Finally, having finished my meal ahead of this, Frank sent me on my way to my next historical tavern, asking a question the Yardley bar for which he already knew the answer. "Is that enough history for you?"

2 N Main St, Yardley, PA 19067 - (215) 493-9191
Est. 1864 (first bar), 1877 (current building) - Building constructed: 1877
Web site: contav.com - facebook
Reviews: buckscountyadventures - paintingglassmedia - suburbanlifemagazine - nj.com - buckscountyintime - phillyburbs - onlyinyourstate - yelp - tripadvisor  

#4453 - Bube's Brewery, Mount Joy, PA - 1/9/2022

The smaller portion of Bube's Brewery at night

On the evening of January 9, 2022, while visiting some of the oldest bars in the state of Pennsylvania, I experienced one of the most extraordinary bar visits of my life at Bube's ("BOO-bees") Brewery, in Mount Joy, PA. Noting my astonished look, staff member Jeanbean volunteered to give me a personal tour. I really had no idea what the property contained, so I was continually stunned by the varied and beautiful features of the place. Down, down we went into the beer aging caves, past the "Catacombs" fine dining restaurant and the 2,000 gallon wooden barrels, to an eventual depth some 43 feet below the surface; then back up through the old cooper's shed, with its crammed museum of old beer-making artifacts; and further up to into the saloon room of the Victorian hotel, with its beautiful back bar, dazzling antique lamps, and other vintage appointments; then further through various group dining rooms, each with a unique and resplendent decor; and finally back down to the old Bottle Works room, now the main bar, where I sampled their brew and had a fine conversation with bartender Cory.

Constructed and founded as a brewery by Philip Frank in 1859, the operation was purchased by Bavarian trained employee Alois Bube in 1878, who went on to ambitiously expand it.

"In 1889 Bube (locals pronounced the name "BOObee") received financial backing from Philip Frank, the owner of a large malting operation across the street from the brewery. The brewery was expanded by digging large vaults throughout the property, on top of which a larger brewery was erected, as was the Central Hotel. Even after the expansion the brewery was not a large one, but it employed the most modern methods and was well equipped. Bube produced Pilsener and Bavarian beer, as well as ale and soft drinks.

Unfortunately, after Bube's death in 1908, the brewery was not as successful. The family tried to run the business, but sold it in 1914 to a Swedish brewer named John Hallgren. Hallgren's product was much lighter than Bube's and it never caught on with local tastes. A coal shortage in 1917, impending prohibition, and poor business conditions forced Hallgren to sell the brewery. In 1920 Henry Engle, son-in-law of Alois Bube, took over the property and operated the Central Hotel. Allen explained that during prohibition the brewery was used primarily as an ice plant, although he has heard rumours about some bootlegging, "nothing big like in Columbia or Lancaster."  (pabreweryhistorians) 

Bube's Brewery, Mount Joy, PA

The amazing, museum-like vintage qualities of the place are explained by its usage -- and lack thereof -- over the half century following the advent of prohibition:

"Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: At the time, it was known as the “Munich of the New World” due to its thriving German beer scene. Over the years, Bube built his establishment into a beer behemoth, with a labyrinthine premises including a bar, the “catacombs,” and an inn that featured the town’s first flushing toilet. The brewery, like other such establishments, was shut down during Prohibition, but by that time the family had become so wealthy that Bube’s descendants were able to keep the building, which remained untouched until 1968, when they remodeled and reopened."  (atlasobscura.com)

Bube's Brewery, Mount Joy, PA

Thus, as if preserved in amber, the brewery and sumptuous Victorian hotel waited until 2001 to be reopened to the public after many continuing restoration and preparations by current owner Sam Allen, who purchased it in 1982.

'Sam Allen is a 1980 graduate of Penn State with a degree in business and psychology and some experience in theatre. I asked Allen how a college graduate with no money began his career by buying an old brewery-turned-tourist attraction. He said he always has been interested in "antique architecture," old buildings, as well as caves and catacombs. In addition, he spent some time in Koln, West Germany, in an exchange program and toured the Kuppers Brewery where Kolsch beer is made.'

'Following graduation his father started showing him the sales end of real estate and insurance, the family business. As part of his training, Allen helped his father show Bube's Brewery to some clients. "It was love at first sight," he explained. "I was hoping they wouldn't buy it." Later, when he expressed his interest in buying his father would not hear of it, much less help finance such a venture. His father tried in vain to drum some sense into him, explaining the economic facts of life. Allen persisted however, and got a summer job as a tour guide at Bube's Brewery. The place was still up for sale when Allen made his offer to Gingrich (owner). Allen said he would manage the business in exchange for room, board, a small salary and an option to buy.'

My tour host Jeanbean, Bube's Brewery

'He began by giving tours and gradually made some changes. The bar in the Central Hotel was small, so Allen opened the area known as "The Bottle Shop" and constructed a bar, installed tables and sold food so that visitors could top off their tour with refreshments. He worked on the catacombs and eventually opened a restaurant there. Due to the 'cave temperatures' he installed kerosene heaters for winter diners. He reworked the museum and eventually opened a "biergarten" out back. He is in the process of expanding the patio. Bube's giant steam boiler is now surrounded by tables.'   (pabreweryhistorians) 

While I was there there was a small film crew also wandering through, working on a project that wasn't quite clear. There is a live music stage in the Bottle Works bar, and the hotel hosts murder mystery events, in addition to ghost tours, various period-themed feasts, karaoke, and "a local rendition of Mystery Science Theatre 3000." I know little else of the small borough of Mount Joy, 2.4 square miles and a population around 8,000 people there in southeast Pennsylvania. But for anyone who loves beer, old bars, and/or simply American history, this is a must-visit location.

  

102 N Market St, Mount Joy, PA 17552 - (717) 653-2056
Est. 1876 (Bube's), 1859 brewery, 2001 post-prohibition opening - Building constructed: 1859
Web site: bubesbrewery.com - facebook 
Articles ranked: onlyinyourstate - atlasobscura - pabreweryhistorians - ydk - washingtonpost - national register of historic places - theburgnews - yelp - tripadvisor - hpstrust - wikipedia - instagram - discoverlancaster 

#4380 - Elevator Brewery, Columbus, OH - 9/30/2021

Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus
Columbus, Ohio

The Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus in downtown Columbus, Ohio is simply one of the most beautiful bars I have ever been in, and requires a dip into the location's history before we get back to the present business. I have found that sources, even usually reliable sources, document several different dates for when the current structure was built and when the "Bott Brothers" moved into it, and the picture is further clouded by the fact that the brothers ran operations in several other locations in Columbus, and apparently moved their ornate entry area from one of those to the current building. So for the last word on key dates I will rely on the nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places.

According to this document, the site, now known as the "Larrimer building," was constructed in 1895 and began its life as a bar when William "Billy" Bott and his brother Joseph moved their thriving billiard parlor there, opening in April 1905. The source I found that was closest to the date of the founding, Taylor's "Centennial History of Columbus and Franklin County" (1909), confirms this opening date, as well as the grandeur and success of the business, stating, "In April, 1905, [the Bott Bros.] built the finest cafe in the United States and at the present time are conducting the largest and most prosperous business in the city."

The brothers brought with them the elaborate, curved glass front entry structures, and a magnificent back bar created for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, AKA the Chicago World's Fair, taking the event's blue ribbon for craftsmanship. The spectacular bar is hand-carved Philippine mahogany, with onyx columns, and various inlaid designs in Mother of Pearl, copper, silver, and other woods. Another striking feature are the large and beautiful interior stained glass pieces. The bartender told us that these were added from a local church in the 1920s, and indeed they do not appear in a set of photos from 1910, but I was not able to confirm this origin. But in any case, they add considerable elegance to the ornate glass in the entry and elsewhere, and the finely designed tile floor.

Jack Sullivan describes the Bott Brothers' preceding activities thusly:

'Joseph came to Columbus in 1871 and found work in a variety of retail establishments.  Within a few years, he happened on his true love:  billiards.  Working in a local pool parlor, he became an expert pool and billiards player.

Billie, who had been nine when Joseph left, arrived in Columbus a few years later.  The brothers soon opened a billiard parlor in downtown Columbus immediately across from the State House, guaranteeing a lively traffic from lawmakers and gaining the reputation as the “third house” of the legislature, a place where “a meeting” was always going on.   Later the Botts would move to larger and more elaborate quarters, advertising 40 tables.   They were also branching out into other enterprises.  Their pool halls had always featured a bar;  in 1886 they opened a full-fledged saloon, a part of its interior shown here.  The long and ornate front bar had been purchased from a Chicago saloon erected at the 1893 World’s Fair.  The Botts featured an animated electric bulb sign outside that outlined a pool table where a pool cue descended and balls scattered.  Columbus had never seen its like; customers flocked to the place. 

The following year Joseph and Billie organized the Bott Brothers Manufacturing Company, an enterprise that sold pool and billiard tables and supplies, bar fixtures, refrigerators, playing cards, and even bathroom fixtures.  In short, the Botts handled everything needed to set up, in the minds of many, “dens of iniquity.”'  (pre-prowhiskeymen blog, 2014)

Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus
Columbus, OH

Sullivan continued that the business ended "in 1916 when Ohio voted to go “dry.” but it appears that Ohio state prohibition did not go into effect until 1919, about six months before federal prohibition took effect. In any event, the Bott Brothers do appear to have concluded the manufacturing, distilling, brewing, and saloon business with the advent of prohibition, whereupon the premises are said to have briefly hosted "Columbia Recreation," where the liquor was replaced by milkshakes, and billiards by checkers and chess. Legend has it that tunnels, now sealed, below the building led to the state house and other prominent nearby structures, to facilitate discretion while keeping the liquor flowing for city leaders.

In 1925 it became the Clock Restaurant, which maintained a highly regarded pool hall, played by the likes of Rudolf Wanderone -- better known as "Minnesota Fats." To this day the bar retains an 1891 8-foot Botts table, as well as an 1884 7' table. Despite some highly regrettable design touches that obliviated the beautiful (and since restored) front entry, the popular Clock Restaurant remained there for over half a century, finally closing in April 1979. "The Clock (Reborn)" (re-)opened in 1981 and ran until 1994, following by "Chasen's" in 1996 to 1998.

Shortly after, a father and son couple of beer lovers with no experience in brewing or restaurants, established a brewery in a grain elevator in nearby Marysville. The location inspired the name "Elevator Brewing," and the owner's business card title of "elevator operator." In 2000 they opened a smaller brewery and a restaurant in the Larrimer building. Ryan Stevens, the younger partner, passed away in 2003, but his father Dick maintained the business, largely as an homage to his son. In 2016 employees Will Triplett and Kevin Jaynes completed a buyout of Dick's remaining shares and took over the restaurant, and then in 2020 the 81-yo Stevens sold the remaining brewery to Jackie O's, a popular Athens brewery.

Today the splendor of the Botts Brothers grand business floor remains on full display and in immaculate condition. It continues to serve some fine Elevator Brewing beers (and root beer), along with spirits and upgraded versions of pub food such as beef tenderloin medallions, cajun chicken penna, and blackened mahi mahi on a hot Finnish Tulikivi firestone. It is a can't miss stop for anyone interested in bars and/or history.

And finally, after mentioning spirits, lest we neglect the other worldly events that some people inevitably observe in bars of such antiquity, the building does of course come with a share of ghost stories. The most well known of these is described by ohioexploration.com: 

"On a cold February night in 1909, an infamous womanizer named Col. Randolph Pritchard was at the Bott Brothers Saloon, as he often was. Pritchard was called into the street where he was stabbed by a woman, presumably one that he had abused. The Colonel stumbled back into the saloon, collapsed on the floor and bled to death. At the exact moment of Pritchard’s death, the large clock in front of the saloon stopped, marking 10:05. The only trace of his killer was her fresh footprints in the winter snow. The clock stood for many years, stopped at 10:05 for eternity…or at least until it was removed and replaced. The ghost of Colonel Pritchard is said to roam the restaurant, but has only been spotted on rare occasions. Pritchard’s killer, who was believed to have froze to death the night she killed him, is also said to make her presence known. Mysterious footprints have appeared in fresh snow where no one had yet walked. There have been several witnesses who have claimed to see the footprints appear right before their eyes."

This photo is said to be from 1890, although that
seems dubious to me, as it is the current location.

The Clock Restaurant appears to have been very
popular, although how theycould live with
themselves after doingthis to the beautiful entry
is a mystery indeed.

161 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215 - (614) 228-0500
Est. 2000 - Building constructed: 1897
Previous bars in this location:
Web site: elevatorbrewing.com - facebook 
Articles ranked: thethirstymuse - pre-prowhiskeymen - yelp - tripadvisor - ohioexploration - beeradvocate - dispatch - untappd - gallivant - experiencecolumbus - heritageohio

Other References: Ohio Breweries - Rick Armon (2011)