Hugh Wilson (son of James) kept a tavern in Washington in 1789, and John McMichael in 1790, the locations of which are not now ascertainable.
Charles Valentine kept the “White Goose” in 1791. This house stood on the lot now covered by the Valentine House. The name Valentine is prominently identified with the National Road from the date of its construction to the present time. The “White Goose” was the symbol under which this old tavern sailed until the year 1806, when it assumed the more poetic name of “Golden Swan,” under the management of John Rettigg. Rettigg was relieved from its cares and responsibilities in 1810 by Juliana Valentine, who presided over its destinies down to the year 1819. It next passed to the control and management of James Sargeant, who kept it for a brief period, and turned it over to John Valentine and Lewis Valentine, who continued it down to 1825. It was next kept for two years by John Hays. In 1827 it was kept by Isaac Sumny, under the sign of the “Washington Hall.” It was kept by Samuel Donley and various other persons, down to about the year 1840, when as before stated, it passed to the control of Joseph Hallam. In Hallam’s time it was a popular wagon stand, and did a large business. Hallam was a man below the medium size, a little stooped, and of quiet demeanor. He had a good wagon yard, and catered to the tastes of old wagoners in an agreeable manner. The happiest moments of Amos Waltz were those in which he inserted the gear pole between the spokes of the hind wheel of a road wagon, as it stood on Hallam’s yard, and afterward took a drink with the jolly wagoners in Hallam’s old bar-room. In 1847 or 1848 the present Valentine House was built, and kept for many years thereafter by Maj. Geo. T. Hammond. It was also kept a while by ex-Sheriff Andrew Bruce, afterward by ex-Sheriff Hugh Keys, and later and until a recent date by William F. Dickey, and is now called the “Allison House.”
In 1791 Michael Kuntz kept a tavern where Vowell’s drug store stands. This house was kept in 1797 by John Scott, under the sign of the “Spread Eagle.” I. Neilson, John Fisher, Samuel McMillen, and John Ferguson, were all old tavern keepers of Washington.
Joseph Huston kept the “Buck Tavern” as early as 1796. This is a stone house on the east side of Main street, below Maiden. Huston kept this house until 1812, and died in it. His widow succeeded him for a brief period, and leased the house to James Sargeant, who kept it until 1815, when Mrs. Huston again went in, and kept it until 1820. She afterward re-married, lost her second husband, and was keeping this house in 1838 as Elizabeth Fleming, and it was continued after that date by her son, William B. Huston. The old Buck is still standing, one of the landmarks of the town.
In 1797 James Workman kept a tavern, the site of which is not known. He continued until 1813, when he went to farming. After three years’ experience in farming he returned to town, and opened a tavern under the sign of “Gen. Andrew Jackson.” This old tavern stood on the west side of Main street, below the “Globe Inn.” It was subsequently kept by Maj. James Dunlap of the old Mt. Vernon House, east of Pancake.
From 1798 to 1806 Dr. John J. Lemoyne kept a tavern on the south side of Main street, where an old road came down over Gallows Hill. This house was afterward kept by Jacob Good, and continued for a number of years by his widow.
The “Globe Inn” was one of the most famous old taverns in Washington. It was located on the west side of Main street, at the corner of Strawberry alley. This house was opened as a tavern in 1797, and in the next year passed to the hands of David Morris, and was kept by him, continuously, until his death in 1834. General LaFayette was entertained at this house in 1825, and it was a favorite stopping place of Henry Clay, and many other statesmen and heroes of the olden time. This old tavern was a frame building, and remained standing until 1891. Rev. William P. Alrich, an old and popular professor of mathematics in Washington college, married a daughter of David Morris.
One Fox kept a tavern, at an early period, in a house that stood on the east side of Main street, where the Morgan Block now stands.
The “Cross Keys” was a popular tavern of the olden time. It stood on the southeast corner of Main and Wheeling streets, opposite the Valentine House. It was opened in 1801 by James McCamant, who kept it until his death, which occurred in 1813. Tradition has it that he died from the effects of a bite by a mad wolf. His widow continued it for about two years, when she quit it to take charge of the “General Washington House,” nearly opposite the court house. She returned, however, after a time to the “Cross Keys,” and was keeping that house as late as 1831. In the year last named she caused to be inserted in a town paper a notice that she furnished dinner and horse feed for twenty-five cents, and boarding and lodging for jurors and others attending court for two dollars a week. The “Cross Keys” was kept afterward at different dates by James Sargeant, Charles Rettig, John Bradfield, William Blakely and Otho Hartzell. It closed as a tavern previous to 1844. James McCamant, the first proprietor of the “Cross Keys” tavern, was the father-in-law of Joseph Henderson, esq., a prominent and popular old lawyer of Washington.