Oldest Bar in Each State

Cool history. I used to manage at a bar that was built in the early 1870s, so it predates Minnesota's oldest current bar by over a decade (according to that article). The bartop itself is even original; a single 30-foot solid piece of mahogany. The place is under its umpteenth different owner and name, but it has been a bar continuously (except for brief stints between owners), including a speakeasy in the basement during Prohibition.

 

Definitely not the oldest, but one of the coolest is The Brightwood Inn on US 70 (Wendover Ave) between Greensboro and Burlington. This is a genuine old roadhouse, still cranking, and a serious visit into time. Elvis and others have graced these doors.

 

So the oldest bar in the country is 10 minutes from me, and I never knew?
That just decided next Friday night for me.

 

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop -- built between 1722 and 1732 by Nicolas Touze, is reputed to be the oldest structure used as a bar in the United States. In 1722, further building is recorded by a realty transfer set down by one Don Andres Almonester. The structure and fence are in the old French Provincial Louis XV or Briquette-Entre-Poteauxe style used in French Louisiana. The building escaped two great fires at the turn of the 19th Century, due to slate roofing. Such slates are presently used by artists as canvases. Between 1772 and 1791, the property is believed to have been used by the Lafitte Brothers, Jean and Pierre as a New Orleans base for their Barataria smuggling operation. The legend is based on the fact that the property was owned by the family of Simon Duroche a.k.a. Castillon and the wily privateer Captain Rene Beluche. Castillon was a rather record-shy adventurer and entrepreneur. Captain Beluche commanded his ship "Spy" in Lafitte's Baratarian fleet. Although the owners of the property, Jean Baptiste Dominica Joly LaPorte probably lived on the premises, it is within reason that the Lafittes could have used the place as city base for negotiations with potential buyers of their goods. It is unlikely that a wealthy Creole would agree to meet at home on Royal Street. Bourbon and St. Phillip was probably regarded as a safe and convenient neutral ground. Like most New Orleans legends, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop is a gumbo of truth and French, Spanish, African, Cajun and American embellishments.
http://www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com/AboutUs.html

 

I visited Lafitte's a while ago, and I remember the history, a cool place.

 

I would have guess Fraunces Tavern for NY, but I would have been way off.

Oddly enough, The Old 76 House is right by me, just over the NY border. I was wondering why I never really heard of it, and then I clicked on their website and said "oh, that's why". Yeah, they kinda went upscale with the place these days, and no mention of beer at all.
http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-500.213228/page-4#post-2800964

The history is kind of neat, and I'll have to check out the area next time I'm up there at the very least.

 

Loses me at the faux masonry exposing brick tourist trap exterior. I would pass the place by.

 

I went to school for history, so this is exactly the sort of thing I enjoy. Very cool.

 

Just a half dozen miles from my humble abode. Amazing place largely hewn into the rock on which the Castle stands.
http://www.triptojerusalem.com/
To cap it all there will be 1000 different cask ales available in the Castle grounds next month
http://www.beerfestival.nottinghamcamra.org/

 

I grew up 2 minutes from the Broad Axe Tavern. Unfortunately, I never knew it dated back as far as this article, as well as the restaurant, claim it does. Spent many nights drinking at that bar. Pretty glad it has a growing craft beer selection there as well!

 

One of the coolest lists I've seen on here in a while!

 

NY State - Fraunces Tavern in NYC. George Washington drank there! And probably took a nap too. It was where he bade farewell to his troops in 1783. Maybe not the oldest but certainly one of the most historic.

 

Wonder if anyone has compiled a list of the oldest brewery in each state... Found this list interesting as well.

 

I think PA is second oldest. Rhode Island is oldest.

 

Union Oyster house, Boston, MA

 

These oldest claims always confuse me. The past couple of years the wife and I have visited the slippery noodle in Indianapolis at the direction of a friend of mine who told me it was the oldest bar in IN. Reading their website history it says that they are the oldest bar in IN still operating at its original location. The Knickerbocker must have moved locations? Also just because they were given liquor license #1, how does that prove they were the first bar. So they were first legally recognized bar in the state, but couldn't an illegally operated bar contend that it was the first? Many bars operated illegally during prohibition.

http://www.slipperynoodle.com/history.php

 

One thing that impressed me on my various trips to England was the change in the definition of "old", compared with the USA!

 

yeah, Spain did that to me too!!!