Old Taverns and Tavern Keepers from Baltimore to Boonsboro—Pen Picture of an Old Tavern by James G. Blaine—The Maypole—The Hand in Hand—Earlocker’s—Pine Orchard—The Brown Stand—Levi Chambers, the Nullifier—Old Whalen’s Sunfish, Bob Fowler’s Goose and Warfield’s Ham—Poplar Springs—Allen Dorsie, Van McPherson, The Widow Dean, Getzendanner’s, Peter Hagan, Riddlemoser and the McGruder House, Peter Zettle, Emanuel Harr.

“Caldwell’s Tavern: We did not use the high sounding hotel, but the good old Anglo-Saxon tavern, with its wide open fire in the cheerful bar room, and the bountiful spread in the dining room, and the long porch for summer loafers, and the immense stabling with its wealth of horse-flesh, and the great open yard for the road wagons. How real and vivid it all seems to me this moment! All the reminiscences of the old pike, for which you are an enthusiast, are heartily shared by me.”—James G. Blaine.

Caldwell’s tavern, mentioned by Mr. Blaine, is seven miles west of Washington, Pennsylvania, and will be referred to hereafter in its proper place. Mr. Blaine’s description is appropriate to nearly all the old taverns of the road.

The outward appearance of an old tavern of the National Road was no index to the quality of the entertainment it afforded. Many of the least pretentious houses furnished the best meals, and paid the most agreeable attention to guests and patrons. It was not unusual to see the wagon yard attached to a small wooden and apparently decaying tavern crowded with teams and wagons, while the inviting grounds of the imposing brick tavern near by were without an occupant.

The May Pole tavern in Baltimore was a favorite stopping place for old wagoners. It is located on the southwest corner of Paca and German streets, and still standing, an object of much interest to the old people of the road. In front of it stands a tall, slim, granite column, representative of a pole, and preservative of the ancient name. The May Pole was kept in 1833 by Henry Clark, and in 1836 by James Adams, who remained in charge until his death. His successor was Isaac Willison, a Virginian, and before assuming control of the May Pole, an agent of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad company, at Frederic City. George Elliott, subsequently manager for Mrs. Adams, at the Mountain City house in Cumberland, was at one time a clerk in the May Pole tavern.

The “Hand in Hand” tavern on Paca, between Lexington and Saratoga streets, and the “White Swan” on Howard street, were likewise old wagon stands in Baltimore, well patronized in the early days of the National Road. Thomas Elliott also kept a wagon stand in Baltimore, and enjoyed a fair share of patronage. He was the father of George Elliott, above mentioned. The May Pole, however, was the favorite tavern of the old wagoners of the National Road. The “Three Ton” and “Gen. Wayne” taverns had each extensive stabling, and furnished accommodations for droves and drovers. The National Road entered the city of Baltimore by way of West Baltimore street.

The first wagon stand west of Baltimore, fifty years ago, was kept by a man whose name was Hawes. It was seven miles from the city, and wagoners often left it in the morning, drove to Baltimore, unloaded, reloaded, and returned to it in the evening of the same day, and the next morning proceeded on the long journey to their western destination. The Hawes tavern ceased to do business after 1840.

At Ellicott’s Mills, ten miles west of Baltimore, there was no wagon stand, but stage houses were located there, where stage teams were kept and exchanged.

One mile west of Ellicott’s, Frank Earlocker kept a wagon stand, that was largely patronized. He was rather of an economical turn of mind, and old wagoners were wont to say of him that he concealed the whisky bottle behind the counter, against the custom of the road, which was to expose it to full view; and it is said that the miserly Earlocker lost more than he gained by his habit, since it induced wagoners to inquire for a drink, more to worry the landlord than to appease the appetite.

A short distance west of Earlocker’s is “Pine Orchard,” where a tavern was kept by one Goslin. He was a goslin only in name. Otherwise, he was a square man, and knew how to treat strangers and travelers, especially wagoners, who largely favored him with their patronage. His house was a brick structure, and stood on the north side of the road, and for aught known to the contrary, is still standing, a monument commemorative of the many good old taverns which studded the road in the days of its glory.

James Dehoff kept a tavern at Pine Orchard as early as 1835. His house was a wagoners’ resort, and stood on the south side of the road.

An old tavern, known as the “Brown Stand,” four miles west of “Pine Orchard,” was a popular stopping place for wagoners in its day. In 1838 Levi Chambers took charge of this house, and continued to conduct it until 1842. He was called “Nullifier” Chambers, because of his adherence to the nullification doctrine, announced and advocated by John C. Calhoun. He, however, knew how to keep a tavern, and was a sober and intelligent man. On the first of January, 1841, John Crampton and William Orr, old wagoners before mentioned, drove out from Baltimore with full loads, and put up at the “Brown Stand.” During the night a box of silk goods was stolen from Orr’s wagon. The loss was discovered early in the morning, and Orr and Chambers each mounted a horse and pushed out in the direction of Baltimore, in search of the stolen goods and the thief. There was a light snow on the road, and tracks were visible, indicative of rapid steps toward the east. Reaching Baltimore, Messrs. Orr and Chambers entered the bar room of the May Pole tavern, in which a number of persons were drinking, and among them one, who, from his actions, was suspected as the thief. He was arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to the penitentiary.

Four miles west of the “Nullifier’s,” John Whalen kept a wagon stand, and one of the best on the road. Old wagoners entertain pleasant recollections of John Whalen, and delight in recounting the good cheer that abounded and abided in his old tavern. He kept the tavern at this point up to the year 1842.

One Warfield kept a tavern a short distance west of Whalen’s as early as 1835, and had a good wagon custom. Old wagoners had a rough distich on this section of the road, running something like this:

New Lisbon was an aspiring village, twenty-six miles west of Baltimore, and the first point of note west of Whalen’s. Stages stopped and teams were changed at New Lisbon, but it had no wagon stand.

At Poplar Springs, one mile west of New Lisbon, there was a wagon stand kept by Allen Dorsie. Near the old tavern is a large, gushing spring, in the midst of tall poplar trees, and hence the name “Poplar Springs.” Such was the situation at this point fifty years ago, but alas, fifty years is a long time, and the “Poplar Springs” may present a different appearance now. Allen Dorsie, the old proprietor of the tavern here, was likewise and for many years superintendent of the Maryland division of the road. He was a very large man, six feet in height, and rounded out in proportion. He was besides a man of admitted integrity and good intellect. He ceased keeping tavern at Poplar Springs in 1842.

Seven miles west of Poplar Springs Van McPherson kept a tavern, which did an extensive business. The proprietor was half Dutch and half Irish, as his name imports, and he had the faculty of pleasing everybody. His house was a brick structure on the north side of the road, and is probably still standing. Van McPherson kept this house from 1836 to 1842, and made money in it.

New Market is a village west of McPherson’s old tavern, and in Frederic county, Maryland. Here the stages stopped and changed teams, and an old wagon stand was kept by one Shell. It is said of Shell that his name differed from his table, in that the latter contained no shells, but the best of savory viands.

Three miles west of New Market, Frank Wharton kept a tavern, and a good one. He was rough in manner, and could swear longer and louder than Wilse Clement, but he kept his house in good shape and did an extensive business.

One mile west of Wharton’s the widow Dean kept a tavern. Her house was a brick structure on the south side of the road, and she owned it and the ground whereon it stood, in fee simple. She was largely patronized by wagoners.

Next after passing Mrs. Deans old stand, the city of Frederic is reached, which fifty years ago was the largest town on the road between Wheeling and Baltimore. James Dehoof and John Lambert kept old wagon stands in Frederic City. Lambert died about 1840, and was succeeded by John Miller, who kept the house down to the year 1853.

Four miles west of Frederic City the old wagoners encountered Cotockton mountain, and here was a fine old tavern kept by Getzendanner, a German. His house was a stone building, on the south side of the road, presumably standing to this day. Getzendanner, true to his native traits, was the owner of the property. Old wagoners unite in saying that the old German kept a good house, barring a little too much garlic in his sausages.

Peter Hagan played the part of host at an old tavern, one mile west of Getzendanner’s. His house was a log building, and stood on the south side of the road. As before stated, the outward appearance of an old tavern on the National Road was no index to affairs within; and though Peter Hagan’s house was small and made with logs, the cheer within was exhilarating. His meals were simple and but little varied, yet so manipulated in the kitchen, and spread upon the table so tastefully, and withal so clean, that they were tempting even to an epicure. Peter Hagan’s patrons were for the most part wagoners, and the old wagoners of the National Road knew what good living was, and “put up” only where the fare was inviting. Peter Hagan was an uncle of Robert Hagan, a local politician of South Union township, Fayette county, Pennsylvania.

Proceeding westward from Hagan’s old tavern, the next point is the village of Middletown, which hoped to become a city, and might have succeeded, had not the steam railway eclipsed the glory of the old pike. At Middletown the stages had relays of horses. One of the stage houses at this point was kept by —— Titlow, a relative of F. B. Titlow, of Uniontown. Here also there was a wagon stand, kept by Samuel Riddlemoser. This was in 1840. In the spring of 1841 Riddlemoser moved to the Widow McGruder house, one mile west of Middletown. The McGruder house was well conducted, and enjoyed a large patronage.

South Mountain comes next, and here a tavern was kept by one Miller. It was a wagon stand, a stone building, on the north side of the road. The battle of South Mountain was fought here, but the roar of the cannon failed to awaken the departed glories of the old Miller tavern.

One mile west of South Mountain, Petter Zettle, a German, kept a tavern. It was a wagon stand, and a popular one. The house was of brick, and stood on the south side of the road. The old landlord was accustomed to join in the merry-making of the old wagoners, and as the jokes went around in the old bar room, the German spice was plainly discernible as well as agreeable, in unison with the familiar notes of the native pike boys.

One mile west of Zettle’s, Robert Fowler kept a wagon stand. Fowler quit in 1839, and was succeeded by Emanuel Harr, who conducted the house for many years. Joe Garver, a noted blacksmith, had a shop at this point. Garver, it is said, could cut and replace as many as a dozen wagon tires in a single night. It was not an uncommon thing for the old blacksmiths of the road to work all night at shoeing horses and repairing wagons.