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Bell's Tavern Ruins

A former 19th-century tavern, famous for its peach brandy and honey concoction.

Park City, Kentucky

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mlg
Ruins of Bell's Tavern   mlg (Atlas Obscura User)
Ruins of Bell's Tavern   mlg (Atlas Obscura User)
Ruins of Bell's Tavern   mlg (Atlas Obscura User)
Bell's Tavern historical marker.   mlg (Atlas Obscura User)
Bells Tavern Fireplace   Where The Rhoads May Go (Atlas Obscura User)
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About

In the heart of Kentucky's cave country, Revolutionary War veteran, Colonel William Bell built a sprawling inn beside the highway. It grew into "the famous Bell's Tavern," as 19th-century Massachusetts Senator, Nathaniel Silsbee called it. 

The inn became a hot spot for the shabby and the well-heeled alike. Built during the mid-19th century, the tavern was gutted by fire just prior to the Civil War. Though the family intended to rebuild it magnificently out of stone, the outbreak of war prevented them from completing the project. Today, massive stone walls and arched windows are overgrown with ivy, making for a picturesque and romantic ruin. 

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Published

July 30, 2019

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