Talbott Tavern

We'd read in our RV planning app that Talbott Tavern was a "must see" so after a long day of visiting distilleries, we found ourselves at Talbott Tavern in Bardstown, Kentucky.

The Talbott Tavern was built in 1779 and has been called the oldest western stagecoach stop in America.  It was a haven of hospitality to those pioneers who carved an empire out of the wilderness.  From its simple beginnings, the tavern mellowed with the years, typifying the gracious living that burgeoned in the Old South.

We went for an early dinner - the dining room is beautiful.

The items in the dining room were so interesting and fun to see how the tavern looked hundreds of years ago.

Dinner was great! I had shrimp and grits.

When in the south, eat like a southerner

There's a lot of history upstairs.  This is still an active Inn - it would be fun to stay here.

Legends say that during King Louis Phillippe's exile, he, his two brothers, and other members wanting to see the New World, arrived at the Tavern on October 17, 1797.  During their stay, one or more of the entourage is believed to have painted the murals which were uncovered in 1927.  A dozen or more holes are found in the plaster in the room.  Legend says that the bullet holes were left behind by Jesse James when he had too many drinks in the Pub one evening then went upstairs to sleep it off.  He "saw" birds moving in the murals and shot at them, leaving behind the bullet holes seen today.

The door on the right leads to a guest room

The Tavern suffered an electrical fire on March 7, 1998.  The upstairs sustained the heaviest damage and the downstairs received mostly smoke and water damage.  It reopened in November, 1999.

Close ups of the murals which were destroyed in the fire.  Notice the bullet holes.

Abraham Lincoln, at the age of 5, stayed at the Tavern with his parents while they were involved in a land dispute.  The Lincolns lost the case and, as a result, moved to Indiana.

Over the years, the hotel has borne many different names.  It was called the Hynes, Bardstown Hotel, Chapman's House, Shady Bower Hotel, the Newman House, Old Stone Tavern, and now Talbott Tavern.

The tip we read was correct - a place not to be missed!