Cousins Bob and Janet Wolf (above) ponder their dinner selections from the generous and reasonable menu of the exceedingly historic Jean Bonnet Tavern of Bedford, PA where we recently celebrated the last 
night of my annual visit.
Dinner guests enjoy eating on the balcony of the tavern on a recent and warm summer evening while the cabin gift shop is pictured on the right of the smaller picture. This cabin was built in a nearby county in the late 1700s, reconstructed at the tavern and opened as the gift shop in 2006.
In the lower photos, the year of original construction, 1762, is celebrated in stained glass and the tavern’s original rules remain on display.
THE JEAN BONNET TAVERN—
...of Bedford, PA
History just oozes from the 2 foot thick, sandstone walls of this historic tavern and inn.
While recently savoring a scrumptious dinner of prime rib there, a chill ran up my spine as I pondered what this place must have been like back then in 1762—the year of its construction, 14 years before the US declared our independence.
I could hear the imagined sounds of a horse whinnying as a weary travel dismounted and clomped his way through a thick wooden door, content to have whatever was on the menu that cold night and happy for a place to rest his weary soul.
The charm of candlelight bounced shadows across the massive, wall stones and was barely bright enough to reveal tool marks in the hand-hewn wood beams supporting the ceiling. I knew those marks were there, but, wondered what other secrets those beams could reveal if they could just tell me about conversations in this very room 246 years ago when travelers surely would have been worried about the red-coats on the Boston Common.
In an adjoining dining room I touched the soot blackened iron work of the fireplace that likely served as both the kitchen and the furnace back then. I could visualize a crackling fire bubbling the huge, cast kettle of stew while patrons pondered the looming war of independence, or, the more close at hand challenge of migrating westward across the rugged mountains.
In October 1794 troops of then President George Washington camped at the tavern on their way to Western PA to quell the Whisky Rebellion. The tavern was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. I wondered why that honor was so long in coming.
In an upstairs hallway I found the sign (pictured right) which had the rule, “No Razor Grinders or Tinkers taken in.” I emailed co-owner Melissa Jacobs for an explanation and in her friendly
response, she described “Tinkers” as “...traveling persons of questionable reputation”, and, Razor Grinders “...would come and sharpen knives and blades. I assume they were a rather unsavory bunch as well.” Thanks Melissa!
Today the tavern has a menu as delectable as its history and still offers four rooms to travelers; two singles at $85 per night and a couple of suites at just over $100. My prime rib dinner was hot, juicy, tender and cooked to perfection. I wish I could go back again tomorrow.
Still curious, click here.
night of my annual visit.Dinner guests enjoy eating on the balcony of the tavern on a recent and warm summer evening while the cabin gift shop is pictured on the right of the smaller picture. This cabin was built in a nearby county in the late 1700s, reconstructed at the tavern and opened as the gift shop in 2006.
In the lower photos, the year of original construction, 1762, is celebrated in stained glass and the tavern’s original rules remain on display.
THE JEAN BONNET TAVERN—
...of Bedford, PA
History just oozes from the 2 foot thick, sandstone walls of this historic tavern and inn.
While recently savoring a scrumptious dinner of prime rib there, a chill ran up my spine as I pondered what this place must have been like back then in 1762—the year of its construction, 14 years before the US declared our independence.
I could hear the imagined sounds of a horse whinnying as a weary travel dismounted and clomped his way through a thick wooden door, content to have whatever was on the menu that cold night and happy for a place to rest his weary soul.
The charm of candlelight bounced shadows across the massive, wall stones and was barely bright enough to reveal tool marks in the hand-hewn wood beams supporting the ceiling. I knew those marks were there, but, wondered what other secrets those beams could reveal if they could just tell me about conversations in this very room 246 years ago when travelers surely would have been worried about the red-coats on the Boston Common.
In an adjoining dining room I touched the soot blackened iron work of the fireplace that likely served as both the kitchen and the furnace back then. I could visualize a crackling fire bubbling the huge, cast kettle of stew while patrons pondered the looming war of independence, or, the more close at hand challenge of migrating westward across the rugged mountains.
In October 1794 troops of then President George Washington camped at the tavern on their way to Western PA to quell the Whisky Rebellion. The tavern was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. I wondered why that honor was so long in coming.
In an upstairs hallway I found the sign (pictured right) which had the rule, “No Razor Grinders or Tinkers taken in.” I emailed co-owner Melissa Jacobs for an explanation and in her friendly
response, she described “Tinkers” as “...traveling persons of questionable reputation”, and, Razor Grinders “...would come and sharpen knives and blades. I assume they were a rather unsavory bunch as well.” Thanks Melissa!Today the tavern has a menu as delectable as its history and still offers four rooms to travelers; two singles at $85 per night and a couple of suites at just over $100. My prime rib dinner was hot, juicy, tender and cooked to perfection. I wish I could go back again tomorrow.
Still curious, click here.
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