Red Lion Inn (Is-Past)
archive.org/details/jstor-20083276
The Red Lion Inn, located near the Red Lion Bridge in Andalusia, Bensalem Township, Bucks County, just outside Philadelphia, was a historic inn on King’s Highway (now Bristol Pike) at Poquessing Creek. Established as the area’s first public house, it began operating by 1730 when Philip Amos petitioned to run a “public house of entertainment.” The inn was a significant stop for travelers, hosting notable figures like John Adams and delegates to the First Continental Congress in 1774. During the Revolutionary War, it served as a relay station for New York stagecoaches and briefly as a hospital in 1777. The large stone structure, with a tall lion-adorned sign, featured a covered porch and a nearby stone arch bridge. Destroyed by fire in 1991, the inn was a key landmark reflecting Philadelphia’s colonial history and its role as a hub for early American travel and politics.
Note: The above description was written by Grok AI in reply to a query by Wikidelphia's staff editor.
Info
- Book Mention: Historic Hotels of the World, Past and Present (1927) (at Google Books, see page 98)
- County Information: Red Lion Inn Site (at Bucks County Redevelopment Authority)
- Photo: Red Lion Inn. Torresdale, Pa. (at Free Library of Philadelphia)
- Video: Red Lion Inn Fire (Action News, December 26, 1991) (at YouTube, 0m27s)