McEwen's Tavern was built in 1820 by Alexander McEwen. It was later purchased by Henry Reader, becoming the Reader Hotel. Later, it was renovated and renamed the White Horse Tavern. Today the building is apartments.
The above photo, taken about 1910, shows H.J Reader, a nephew of Henry Reader, on the porch of the Reader Hotel
In 1820, there were no more than 7 houses in the present borough limits of McEwensville. Two of those seven home were taverns. Alexander McEwen then built the third hotel, naming it McEwen's Tavern. Before their was a post office, "the mail coach passing up and down the Northumberland road made his house a stopping place."
McEwen, a weaver from Scotland, came to America and served as a solider in the war of 1812, where he attained the rank of Captain. At a dinner hosted by McEwen in October 1825, for the Independent Battalion of Volunteers, Brigadier General Light gave a toast:
"May we shortly have the satisfaction of seeing a new and flourishing village situated in the immediate vicinity of Camp Caluhoun, and may it be appropriately named McEwensville"
The Reader Hotel was one of many properties owned by the Reader family, on the 1874 Map.
(The Hotel is the properly shown above the word "Street" along Mill Street. )
According to a 1928 article in the Miltonian, the Tavern was known as the "Washington House". Governor Curtain of Belleftone visited. "The old bench in the bar has neither sag nor break after 100 years... Here was the headquarters where the democratic chieftains gathered to plan their political campaigns in northern Pennsylvania. here was the old voting place of the Delaware Township. The old pike passed before it's doors; the old canal was built two miles away. In those early days, McEwensville was a thriving center, socially, politically, and industrially. Grain was stored in the winter in teh village, then shipped down the canal in the spring.
The railroad came. Population shifted to Milton, Watsontown, Dewart, and White Deer sprang into being. The Old Tavern stayed on, and at last came the Susquehanna Trail....
It is said that before the coming of the railroad, visitors slept two and three deep, so crowded was the tavern."
On May 21st 1881, lightening struck the barn of Henry Reeder, hotel keeper, and a valuable cow was killed.
"A noted historical landmark for many years was McEwens tavern, erected by Alexander McEwen and later purchased by Henry Reader. The Readers were innkeepers for the better part of a century"
"It was formerly known as the Washington House and was one of the stations where stage-coach horses were changed" - Altoona Tribune, 1925
The Altoona Tribune, 1925
In 1928 the Reader hotel was purchased by a niece of the former owners, Mrs Lulu Kock of Quincy Illinois. The building was extensively remodeled and named the White Horse Tavern. After the death of Mrs Koch, the building was sold to H.R. Shearer.
The building, as it appears on Google Maps today.
The Miltonian detailed the changes , in this 1928 article:
1928 Renovations included removing the old front porch and replacing it with seven square pillars, a replica of George Washington's Mt Vernon home.
"A remarkable feature of the Tavern is the wonderful state of preservation of the old beams that rest upon the foundation. Those mammoth beans are scarcely untouched by the passing of time..."
The Miltonian 1928
In 1930, the Miltonian reported that Miss Maud Irwin, accompanied by two friends, arrived at the White Horse Tavern on Saturday. "The beautiful flower garden at the White Horse Tavern suffered a relapse and is not so colorful at present"
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The Old Turbut Horse Protection Society
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"With commerce and industry flourishing, there also came the social problems of a growing populace and the enactment of laws to deal with the 'renegades among us'".
The problem at the time was the regular theft of horses. In 1866, Twenty one citizens of Northumberland COunty petitioned the Court of Common Pleas to form the "Old Turbot Horse Protective Society".
The groups annual meetings were held at the Reader Hotel in McEwensville. Horses of members of the association were branded, and each year 30 riders were chosen alphabetically to purse the thief when a horse was reported stolen.
The Township of Turbut, and the town of Turbutville, were named for Col. Turbut Francis.
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The Price Of Whiskey
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"At first, whiskey was sold at three cents a drink. After a time, the price was advanced to a 'fip penny bit", which was 6 1/4 cents, and later on it went up to 'eleven penny bit', 12 1/2 cents" Daily Item, reporting on the McEwensville Bicentennial in 1957
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For More Local History & Stories of McEwensville
For More History & Stories From The Susquehanna Valley
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Elizabeth Reader, son of Henry Reader, married William Cooner, of the Cooner family who owned the hotel in Watsontown.
Henry Reader married Elizabeth Kelly on April 15th 1815. They lived in McEwensville all of their lives, "except for the time Mr Reader was sheriff, at which time they lived in Sunbury"
Henry and Elizabeth had 9 children - 8 daughters and 1 son. John Reader left home to go to California in 1849 [Gold Rush]*-, "since which time, nothing has ever been heard from him"
The Daughters: Jane Married Thomas Irwin, Mary married William Irvin esq, Sarah Married William Hayes, Julia married Henry J. Reader [is that a mistake?] Caroline married Joseph Huhn, Margarete married Henry Kulp. Elizabeth married William Cooner.
"The family is one of the largest and most highly respected in the county and all sincerely mourn the departure of Aunt Betsey, as she was familiarly and affectionately called by nearly everybody in this section. All have been brought up in McEwensville, remember the kindness of heart ever evinced by her, especially toward little children, who loved her and looked up on her as their friend. Personally, we miss her very much. We never thought of passing through McEwensville without calling upon Aunt Betsey, who seemed like a second mother to us. Peace to her manes."
Ownership:
Alexander McEwen
Henry Reader
Henry J. Reader
John M. Reader
Lulu Koch [neice of John Reader]
H.S.Shearer
William Moritz opened the first tavern "in a log building at the southern end of the village"
In 1816, Isaac Baker opened the second tavern along the highway between Sunbury and Williamsport, in what would become McEwensville.
The White Horse Tavern (formerly McEwens Tavern) was recently sold and is being repaired and made available to rent!
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