Compass Inn, United States inn and tavern
The Compass Inn is a historic hotel in Pennsylvania built from a log structure in 1799 with a stone addition added in 1820. The building has five sections and two and a half floors, containing a bar room with a caged serving counter, a separate space for women and children, six bedrooms, and a winter kitchen with a fireplace.
The original log structure was built in 1799 by Philip Freeman to serve travelers and drovers on a busy road. The Armor family purchased it in 1814, renamed it, and expanded it in 1820 with a stone addition to attract wealthier travelers after the Turnpike opened around 1817.
The inn's name comes from Compassville, where the Armor family had previously run a similar establishment. Visitors can see how the place served as a gathering point where travelers and traders shared news and stories during their stops.
The site is open May through October six days a week and offers special candlelight tours on weekends during fall and winter. Parking is conveniently located next to the barn behind the building and tickets are purchased at the visitor center.
The barn holds a Conestoga wagon and stagecoach from the 1830s, while the working blacksmith shop was actually used for filming scenes in 'The Pale Blue Eye' in 2021. These spaces demonstrate historic craftsmanship while serving as active locations for modern storytelling.
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