George Washington's Officers Were Based At This Old-School Inn, And You Can Still Dine There Today - Tasting Table

"Even before the Revolution, the inn was a bustling location. At the time, Bristol was located along both the Delaware ferry route and King's Highway, the main travel route between Philadelphia and New York. As was common in the colonies, the inn served multiple roles early in Bristol's history, including a town meeting hall, and its wine cellar was even used as a jail."

"For something like that, there are only a handful of spots left in the country. The oldest restaurant in New York has some Washington history, and City Tavern in Philadelphia was a favorite, too. But while there is no definitive evidence that Washington himself ever stayed at the King George II Inn in Bristol, Pennsylvania, none of those other restaurants can say they helped in the crossing of the Delaware."

The King George II Inn in Bristol, Pennsylvania dates to 1681 when Samuel Clift opened The Ferry House to serve his Delaware ferry service. The current building dates from 1765 on the same wharf-front site with unobstructed views across the Delaware. The inn served travelers on the Delaware ferry route and King's Highway and functioned as a town meeting hall; its wine cellar was used as a jail. In December 1776 the inn hosted troops and served as a temporary headquarters during Washington's crossing of the Delaware. The inn is the oldest bar in Pennsylvania and nearly the oldest continuously operated inn in the country, aside from a brief 2010 closure.

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