The Yost Tavern is a historic former inn in the city of
Montgomery,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
,
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 territori ...
. Built in 1805, when Montgomery was founded, it remained in operation as a lodging establishment until a long period of use as a house, and it was donated to the city after being owned by the local Kiwanis chapter. It has also been named a
historic site
A historic site or heritage site is an official location where pieces of political, military, cultural, or social history have been preserved due to their cultural heritage value. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have been rec ...
.
Abraham Yost both lived and operated a tavern in the building, and his business flourished because of its location along the highway to
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
.
[Landmarks]
City of Montgomery, 2015. Accessed 2015-07-03. He built the structure in 1805, the year in which the village of Montgomery was incorporated. Within four years,
Columbus-bound traffic was causing business to boom; Yost's customers purchased more than fifty barrels of whiskey in 1809 alone. After Yost, the building became a house alone; White Miller bought it in 1870, and his descendants remained in ownership and in residence until 1968. In the latter year, the community's
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. Since 1987, the organizati ...
club purchased the property, donated some of the
chattels to the local historical society, and sold the remnant at public auction. The club retained the tavern for just eleven years before giving it to the Montgomery city government in 1979.
Architecturally, the tavern is a simple
gable-front structure with a rear
lean-to
A lean-to is a type of simple structure originally added to an existing building with the rafters "leaning" against another wall. Free-standing lean-to structures are generally used as shelters. One traditional type of lean-to is known by its Finn ...
. The two-
story
Story or stories may refer to:
Common uses
* Story, a narrative (an account of imaginary or real people and events)
** Short story, a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting
* Story (American English), or storey (British ...
facade is pierced by four openings (a doorway and window on the first floor, and two windows on the second), with another entrance to the side.
[, ]Ohio Historical Society
Ohio History Connection, formerly The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society and Ohio Historical Society, is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1885. Headquartered at the Ohio History Center in Columbus, Ohio, Ohio History Connect ...
, 2007. Accessed 2010-02-23. The walls are
weatherboarded, set on a stone
foundation
Foundation may refer to:
* Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization
** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S.
** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...
and covered by a metal roof.
In 1993, the old tavern was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
, qualifying because of its significant importance in community history. It is one of five locations in Montgomery to be listed on the Register, along with the
Blair House
Blair House, also known as The President's Guest House, is an official residence in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The President's Guest House has been called "the world's most exclusive hotel" because it is primarily used ...
, the
Montgomery Saltbox Houses, the
Universalist Church Historic District, and the
Wilder-Swaim House.
The building also has been designated as a local landmark by the Montgomery city government.
References
{{National Register of Historic Places
Houses completed in 1805
Buildings and structures in Hamilton County, Ohio
Kiwanis
Montgomery, Ohio
National Register of Historic Places in Hamilton County, Ohio
Taverns in Ohio
1805 establishments in Ohio
Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio