Historic Property
Welcome to my attempt at collecting all the disparate pieces of information related to the White Horse Tavern. I will endeavor to update this with all the information, pictures, books, etc. that have some reference to the White Horse, often […]
Overlaying a map of Native American paths over a map of Chester County shows the “Allegheny Path” [path no. 1] passing directly behind the White Horse Tavern. The path stretches from Philadelphia to Paxtang (now known as Harrisburg). Paul Wallace’s […]
Fredericksbg [N.Y.] 23d Novemr 1778 Sir, As you have not yet had a route given you beyond the North River—I am to desire that you continue the march of the Convention troops by way of New Windsor to Sussex Court-House—to […]
11 June from the White Horse Tavern, Pa. ALS, DLC:GW. Your Excellency please to recollect one of the two Waldeck officers prisoners of war, who selfes had the honour of being introduced to you last year in the Jerseys: and […]
Lancasr [Pa.] 24th, March 1778. May it please Your Excelly Yesterday I had the Honour to receive Your Excys favour of the 22d currt, It is not in my power to comply with your Excys order respectg the Two British […]
Camp at W: March [Pa.] 1st Decr 1777 May it please yr Excely I beg leave to recommend, that as early as it may be Safe to make such movement, the Army may pass Over the Scuilkill & take for […]
Camp near Potts Grove [Pa.] 23d Sept. 1777 Sir I have not had the honor of addressing you since your adjournment to Lancaster, and I sincerely wish that my first letter was upon a more agreeable subject. The Enemy, by […]
[Camp near Pottsgrove, Pa., 23 September 1777] At a Council of War held at the Camp near Potts Grove the 23d day of Septemr 1777. Present His Excellency the Commander[,] Major Generals Sullivan[,] Green[,] Lord Stirling[,] Stephen[,] Armstrong[,] Brigadiers General […]
Parkers Ford—on Schuylkill [Pa.] Septr 19: 1777 ¾ after 5. P.M. Sir I was honoured this Morning with your Favors of the 17th & 18th, with their Inclosures. I am much obliged to Congress for the late instance of their […]
Reading furnace [Pa.] septr 18th 1777 Sir As I have receiv’d Information that the Enemy have turn’d down that Road from the White Horse which leads to Swedes Ford on Schuylkill I have to desire that you will Halt your […]
Reading Furnace [Pa.] 18th Sepr 1777. Sir Your favor of the 17th I had the honor to receive last night with Governr Livingston & Genl Dickinsons Letters. It is out of my power to do more, than I already […]
Camp [Yellow Springs, Pa.] Sepr 17th 1777 Sir As it may be dangerous for the Troops under your command to act alone, and the service may be more advanced by drawing Our Whole Force together, I earnestly request, that you […]
Camp between The Warren & White Horse Taverns [Pa.] Septr 16th 1777. Sir I arrived here last night with the Army and am now so far advanced, as to be in a position to meet the Enemy on the Route […]
The improved part of the Province of Pennsylvania. 1759 Shows White Horse and many other taverns. Also shows Kennison’s home nearby. Roads near the tavern are “The Road to Philadelphia” from Lancaster, “The Road to Philadelphia” from Lebanon, Edgemont […]
This map is probably drawn in 1777 or 1778. It is not to scale but is meant to provide a timeline of events. Red rectangles denote Howe’s column, which is placed right next to the intersecting roads where the […]
On his way from Philadelphia to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson, on his horse, left on September 3rd, 1776, making his first stop at the White Horse. He paid 11 shillings for lodging, etc. He tipped the “horseler” 1 shilling, and made […]
Owen Aston advertised the White Horse Tavern for sale. He described the property comprised of “150 acres of choice land, 20 acres of which is extraordinary meadow, and well watered; also a very good orchard; there is every conveneincy for […]
The Pennsylvania Gazette, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 16 Oct 1746, Sun • Page 4 Sold out of James Trego’s estate. Mentions tavern has been a good business for 30 years on a 94 acre property. Mentions several adjacent properties for sale. 130 […]
Ms. Joanne Parandjuk was kind enough to send me a little tidbit on our Tavern. The little tidbit is a big deal and sheds light on ownership of the tavern in the early 1760s, which has been confused for over […]
The history of Freemasons in Chester county starts with Philadelphia Lodge 2, to Valley Force Lodge 8, to the “first Lodge to meet in” Chester Lodge No. 50. Lodge 50 met at the “Sign of the White Horse” from 1790 […]
William Trent wrote a letter to Richard Peters about marriage, business, and Indians. He stayed at the White Horse Inn on the night of July 21st, 1750, possibly along with John Potts. Trent, who also served with George Washington in […]
On July 8th, 1776, the citizens of PA voted for delegates to frame a new state government. The new government was necessary after PA delegates at the Provincial Conference earlier voted to go to war with Great Britain. The […]
I haven’t found a copy of the actual handwritten notes by Captain Thomas Buchanan. Our Inn is west of Paoli. At the affair of Paoli, in the fall of 1777, I was sent forward to Gen. Smallwood, that lay at […]
Historian Gary Ecelbarge argues an intriguing view backed up by many sources of the gamesmanship and gambles taken by Washington and Howe, and won by Washington, in his article titled “Aggressive-Minded Gamblers: Washington, Howe, and the Days Between Battles, September […]
Okay, so maybe not breaking news, but definitely news. The stone house (eastern half) and the stone barn existed in 1721 and probably built earlier. Most of the historians that have looked at the White Horse Tavern, give a timeline […]
Reference to “White Horse Inn”. Library of Congress Digital Copy https://lccn.loc.gov/2012592159 Map of Chester County, Pennsylvania : from original surveys / by S.M. Painter & J.S. Bowen ; projection & drawing by J.S. Bowen ; engraved by Edw’d Yeager, Philad’a. […]
Peter Force’s catalog of manuscript maps. Alternate title from Philip Lee Phillips’ A list of maps of America, p. 699: Map showing the march of the British upon Philadelphia. Manuscript, pen-and-ink and watercolor. Has watermark. Relief shown by hachures. Library […]
For a bit, I thought these were the same photo, but I was wrong. They are probably separated by one or two decades. The photo below is shows the house in very good condition. The bench in the left side […]
Referenced in Wayside Inns on Lancaster Turnpike, written in 1915, calls William Weightman “one of Philadelphia’s well-known capitalists, by whom it was remodeled and repaired.” He bought the White Horse sometime after 1869, where he repaired and remodeled the home, […]
The barn provided shelter in the 1840s for horses as their owners, members of the 4th regiment, formerly the 143rd, gathered for drill and inspections on orders from Colonel Samuel Burnett. An advertisement appeared in the September 30, 1845 edition […]
When we purchased the Tavern from Skip Miller, it was so much fun to walk around the house and listen to the history he discovered in his 42 years of rehabbing the property as he lived there. One story […]
Real property map published by Kennedy, T. J. in 1860. Shows Tavern owner Adam Reitenbaugh (spelled as A. Reitenaugh and A. Rittenbough). Library of Congress Digital Copy https://lccn.loc.gov/2003627062 Kennedy, T. J. Map of Chester Co., Pennsylvania. [S.l.], 1860. Scale not […]
Shows reference to the “White Horse Inn”. Library of Congress Digital Copy https://lccn.loc.gov/2012590186 Kennedy, T. J. Map of Chester County, Pennsylvania / corrected, embellished, and published by T.J. Kennedy, Westchester ; from original surveys by S.M. Painter & J.S. Bowen. […]
Seat of war in the environs of Philadelphia. Published in the London Magazine 1777. Library of Congress Digital Copy https://lccn.loc.gov/gm71002457 Kitchin, Thomas, -1784. Seat of war in the environs of Philadelphia: By Thos. Kitchin, Senr. [London] Printed for R. Baldwin […]
Show owner’s name Kennison. Library of Congress Digital Copy https://lccn.loc.gov/74692506 Scull, Nicholas, 1686?-1761? To the Honourable Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esqrs., true & absolute proprietaries & Governours of the Province of Pennsylvania & counties of New-Castle, Kent & Sussex […]
I’ve now seen a book and a video that refer to a different building as the White Horse Tavern. They are confused by a marketing scheme to use the history of the White Horse to advertise a wine bar located […]
Kudos to Western Heritage Mapping on the animation of the battle of the clouds. The house, where at the end of the video, Washington’s troops are lined up before they leave the area is the White Horse Tavern. Check out […]
York Town May 16th 1778 Dear Sir Your favor of Octr. 7th did not come to me till March. I was at Camp when Capt. Folger arrived with the Blank Packet. The private Letters were, I believe, all safe. Mr. […]
In part of the backup for the historical landmark designation for the White Horse Tavern, I found reference to this interesting tidbit. Skip Miller had mentioned this rumor, but this was the first I found it in writing, albeit not […]
Many places on the property have initials or carvings. One near the front door of the 1715 property clearly says B+H. Not sure who that might be, but the serifs on the H are not something you see very often […]
Discussion of the town built around the White Horse Tavern. Sunday Local News, West Chester, PA-November 30, 1986 – Proud Throwback
Article describing the battle of the clouds: Sunday Local News, West Chester, PA-November 30, 1986 – Summer of 1777
[Taken from 1954 Main Line Times Article citing notes of Mrs. L. Carstairs Pierce] In 1727 a group of passing Indians shot and killed Richard Thomas’ cow there under the misapprehension it was some sort of fat deer. Thomas drove […]
Three articles on the history of the Tavern in the Suburban & Wayne Times written by Irma Flood: Suburban & Wayne Times August 25, 1966 Mentions a previous article presumably August 18, 1966, where the author discussed securing water in […]
A nice concise history of the tavern! Daily Local News, West Chester, Pa, April 2, 1954
An article in the Suburban Advertiser has a nice hand-drawn picture of the Inn. The Suburban Advertiser May-28-1981
Article on the auction of the White Horse Inn in 1954. Have some pictures that we need to track down better copies of, including one of the the large fireplace. Main Line Times Feb 18, 1954 Mentions two owners other […]
Title: White Horse Tavern National Register Information System ID: 78002373 Applicable Criteria: EVENT ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING Areas Of Significance: COMMERCE MILITARY ARCHITECTURE Periods Of Significance: 1750-1799 Significant Years: 1750 Resource Type: BUILDING Related Collections: National Register of Historic Places Collection Date Published: […]
The history of the White Horse Tavern starts with James Thomas. He was originally from Marion, Pa: James Thomas of Merion. From Llandboyden, Caermarthenshire. Will proved in Philadelphia, August 10, 1699. He mentions his sons Nathan Thomas and James Thomas, […]
Good sources with references and stories related to the White Horse Tavern & Inn in Chester Country: History of Chester County, Philadelphia, Pa. 1881, Futhey and Cope; [ACQUIRED] Chester County and Its People, 1898, W.W. Thomson. Published by The Union […]
Myrtle L. Berger Swanenberger, a poetess, lived on the property in the early 1920s, writing in 1923 the “Why the Cow Jumped Over the Moon”:
British camp at “Trudruffrin” from the 18th to the 21st of September 1777, with the attack made by Major General Grey against the rebels near White Horse Tavern on the 20th. of September. Library of Congress Digital Copy https://lccn.loc.gov/gm71000676 British […]
Pages 185 to 201 describes a lot of the history and function of the White Horse Tavern: “The Wayside Inns of the Lancaster Roadside between Philadelphia and Lancaster” by Julius F. Sachse, Litt. D. Second Edition. Lancaster, Pa., 1912 […]
Map showing White Horse, laid down from actual surveys and chiefly from the late map of W. Scull published in 1770; and humbly inscribed to the Honourable Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esquires, true and absolute proprietaries & Governors of […]
The map doesn’t show the White Horse, but it’s interesting to compare with future maps. The property that becomes the White Horse Tavern is in or to the west of “The Welch Tract”. Library of Congress Digital Copy https://lccn.loc.gov/81692882 Holme, […]
Read an article commemorating the marker you see today at the tavern here.
Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society History Quarterly, October 1970 Volume 15 Number 4, Page 77 At Plane Brook, on the southside, is the Swananbers home. This was formerly the White Horse Tavern, with blacksmith shops across the road, and graves of […]
The ownership dates back to the early 18th century: James Thomas (<1711 – 1722) A Welshman, Thomas, built a log cabin on this location before 1711, and according to tradition, kept an inn at this location while he was constable […]