Black Horse Tavern
York, York County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Old tavern stood on this site, which was the lot granted to Baltzer Spengler by the sons of William Penn for services in the laying out of York in 1741.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
When York was surveyed and laid out in 1741 under the proprietorship of William Penn's sons, Baltzer Spengler was rewarded for his work on the town plan with this very lot. In time an old tavern rose on the spot, one of the gathering places that gave the young town its social and civic life. Taverns like this were the crossroads of colonial Pennsylvania, where travelers rested and townsfolk traded news.
Why it matters
The site anchors the founding of York itself, one of the first planned towns west of the Susquehanna and a window into how Penn's colony expanded into the frontier.
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Related people
- · Baltzer Spengler
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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