The King George II Inn, located in

Bristol, Pennsylvania Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northeast of Center City Philadelphia, opposite Burlington, New Jersey on the Delaware River. It antedates Philadelphia, being settled in 1681 and first incorporat ...

, is believed to be the oldest continuously operated

inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. It was first established in 1681 as the Ferry House by Samuel Clift. The inn was a main stopping point on the road from New York to Philadelphia. The inn overlooks the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...

and is located at the corner of Radcliffe and Mill Streets in the Bristol Historic District.

Background

Samuel Clift obtained from Sir

Edmund Andros Sir Edmund Andros (6 December 1637 – 24 February 1714) was an English colonial administrator in British America. He was the governor of the Dominion of New England during most of its three-year existence. At other times, Andros served ...

, Provincial Governor of New York, a grant of for a plantation across the river from

Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, no ...

, New Jersey, the site of

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. Clift established the ferry service between the Pennsylvania and New Jersey settlements and built an inn in Bristol to service the ferry business. In 1682 Samuel deeded his land and ferry to his son-in-law Joseph English, Jr. Clift built the Ferry House as part of his operation taking people across the

. The property was leased by Michael Hurst in 1684 and was subsequently opened as an inn by Thomas Brook in 1705. The inn was purchased by Charles Besonett in 1735 who subsequently rebuilt the inn larger following a fire on the property. The inn was renamed named the King George II Inn in 1765. As George Washington's army approached Bucks County in 1781, the image of George II was replaced with a likeness of General Washington. Shortly afterwards, the inn was renamed the Fountain House. During the 1800s, Bristol was a popular resort and spa, and the inn catered to the travelers. In 1892, the inn was renamed Ye Olde Delaware House, with the King George name restored about fifty years later. The restaurant closed in 2010, and opened again in 2015.

References

External links

King George II Inn Web SiteHistoric King George II Inn
''Visit Bucks County'' {{Coord, 40.0945, -74.8568, region:US_type:landmark, display=title Hotels in Pennsylvania 1681 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies Buildings and structures in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Background

See also

References

External links