Audio
Mount Washington Tavern
Transcript
Welcome to the Mount Washington Tavern. This historic tavern was constructed sometime after 1828, and functioned as a tavern until the mid 1850s. US Highway 40, which passes in front of the tavern, follows the route of the National Road. The National Road was the first federally funded highway. Construction began in 1811. There were almost 300 taverns on the route from Baltimore to Wheeling, serving clientele such as farmers, drovers, and wagoneers. This tavern served high end clientele traveling by stagecoach. Business travelers, bankers, lawyers; those who could afford the more expensive means of transportation, would have stayed at places such as this. Stage coaches generally stopped every 10-12 miles to change horses. The Mount Washington Tavern stabled horsed for the Good Intent Stage Line, which was located in Uniontown.
Being only 12 mile from the city of Uniontown, this tavern probably had fewer overnight guests. The tavern was most well known for its food. When the coach stopped here to change horses, travelers could come into the barroom to get something to drink, or perhaps come into the parlor, where they could rest and talk with the locals. If they took on a meal, it was eaten in a common dining room, where they would be served a general meal. They would not be given a menu, or sit at a private table. They ate quickly, because they didn’t know when their stagecoach would be refitted with new horses and be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. There are seven rooms upstairs.
They were likely used for both travelers, and tavern employees. The 1850 census lists 13 people living in the tavern, including the Innkeeper, stage drivers, and house keepers.
Description
An audio clip from the self guided tour that describes what visiting the Mount Washington Tavern would have been like
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