The Rising Sun Inn in Telford, Pennsylvania, is a favorite watering hole among locals, known for its eclectic, Americana-inspired menu and creative drinks at the bar. But if the walls at the 18th century-era tavern could talk, they’d have quite a few stories to tell.
“This building was built in 1739 by Peter Gerhart,” Rising Sun Inn General Manager Theresa Paci said. “A lot of stories. Ghost stories, families, births, deaths, parties — all of them. Liberty Bells, Underground Railroads, Prohibition.”
On the Liberty Bell, Paci shared: “The Liberty Bell was moved to keep it safe from the British in the Revolutionary War. So, it came up from Philadelphia on its journey to Allentown, and this was one of the few areas that housed soldiers overnight, commonly during that period of time.”
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The Liberty Bell is said to have been here only for a night. Gerhart’s “Rising Sun” Hotel, as it was called in 1777, is halfway between Philadelphia and Allentown.
Fast-forward to the present day, and hidden history is sprinkled throughout the building.
“Guests have snuck down here,” Paci said while showing CBS News Philadelphia the basement.
In the foundation behind the water tank you’ll find a bell-shaped cutout, which Paci said is where it is believed the Liberty Bell was stored.
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As for the Inn’s role in Prohibition, Paci said: “The owner during that time went to jail multiple times for concealing alcohol here and having it hidden and not turning it over and kept continuing to serve the community.”
The illegal alcohol was kept in a room that was once behind a false wall. Paci added that the family-owned restaurant and tavern is also said to have been used as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Nearly 300 years after opening, the chatter behind the stories lived at the Rising Sun Inn continues.
“It’s wonderful that we keep people talking about it,” Paci said. “We’re still here, we’re operating still as a tavern.”