Today's blog post is about a building which can truthfully claim that "George Washington slept here." It's a slightly haphazard article, because it encompasses two visits and some technical difficulties. Like most of the other landmarks in the vicinity, the Sun Inn was part of the Moravian settlement of Bethlehem; its history, however, is very unique.
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| The sign is located on Main Street in Bethlehem, right in front of the inn |
I first visited the Sun Inn two years ago, when my dear friend Rachel was volunteering as a tour guide. You may remember Rachel from a previous blog post, when she taught me (so I could teach you) about the Moravian Cemetery. She was involved with a lot of the Bethlehem landmarks before she moved out of state, so she's my go-to for many of my questions about the area. Anyway, she was at the inn, so my best friend Andrea and I dropped in to see both her and this historic treasure we'd never never actually visited in our own backyard.
The Moravian Sun Inn was first built in 1758, at which time it was only two stories tall. (The third story was added in 1826, giving the place an additional seventeen rooms.) The Moravians initially constructed it to serve as a gasthaus, or guest house - to provide shelter for non-Moravian merchants and visitors who would come to their settlement. I very much doubt they had any expectation of how significant the place would be during the American Revolution. But in 1777, in particular, it had an important part to play.
The Moravian Sun Inn was first built in 1758, at which time it was only two stories tall. (The third story was added in 1826, giving the place an additional seventeen rooms.) The Moravians initially constructed it to serve as a gasthaus, or guest house - to provide shelter for non-Moravian merchants and visitors who would come to their settlement. I very much doubt they had any expectation of how significant the place would be during the American Revolution. But in 1777, in particular, it had an important part to play.
What happened was this: on September 11, 1777, the Battle of Brandywine took place down near Philadelphia, and was a victory for the British. Washington's forces were routed, the Marquis de Lafayette was badly wounded, and a whole bunch of famous historical figures basically escaped and fled to Bethlehem for safety. The Sun Inn housed several of them and also provided a nearby place for them to store their things. Lafayette did not stay at the inn; he was taken to convalesce in a private residence about a hundred feet away, which is the subject of another marker. (There's also a marker for the Polish general Casimir Pulaski, who was instrumental in enabling Washington's escape, and I'm sort of looking forward to telling you about him.)
Eleven days later, on September 22nd, the Sun Inn hosted fourteen members of the Continental Congress. The original register** is probably long gone (or at least I didn't see it when I was there), but the notable names have been commemorated in an elegantly crafted wall hanging, as seen below at right. Along with Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, the Inn at one time or another hosted John Adams, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Alexander Hamilton (you know, the guy who threw away his shot). Many of these same figures also attended worship services at the nearby Moravian chapel, which is the subject of another future blog post.
** Update - I was very kindly contacted by Earl Kinsley, secretary of the Sun Inn Preservation Association. He assures me that the inn's original register does in fact still exist. It's safely stored in the Moravian Archives. Thank you, Earl!
** Update - I was very kindly contacted by Earl Kinsley, secretary of the Sun Inn Preservation Association. He assures me that the inn's original register does in fact still exist. It's safely stored in the Moravian Archives. Thank you, Earl!
The inn's website offers a timeline of other significant events which took place in or relating to the establishment, several of which you can expect to read about in future posts on this blog. Even when it wasn't involved in local or national history, however, the Sun Inn was celebrated as being one of the best inns of its kind. Part of the reason it has figured into history so well is because of the excellence of its offerings; John Adams declared it to be "the finest inn I ever saw." The hospitality, lodgings, and food provided at the Sun Inn were of superior quality, making it popular both for a place for travelers to stay and also for locals to visit as a social gathering place.
At various points throughout its history, the ownership of the Sun Inn has changed hands repeatedly. Its appearance has changed too, including one point during the 20th century when it was essentially swallowed by a remodel to make it more of a hotel - as part of the Sun Hotel, the original building was literally no longer viewable, and the venture closed in 1961. Fortunately, since 1975 it has belonged to the Sun Inn Preservation Association, who have taken great pains to make it look as close as possible to its roots. The Sun Inn has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.
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| The view from my table in the North Green Patio |
I took a lot of pictures on that first visit, but somehow, except for this image of the names list, they've all been lost - the "technical difficulties" I referenced in the beginning. So I made a second visit, and found the inn was closed. I couldn't get inside. I enjoyed my time outside, however, because since my last visit, the Sun Inn has started serving food, and I had lunch in the previously-dormant side yard, now known as the North Green Patio. My waiter was a self-described "huge history nerd" named Zach, who was very interested in why I was there and talked a little about the inn's dining history. From the time the establishment first opened until sometime in the 1960s, it always served as a place to eat. It was revived as a restaurant in the 1980s, but has had something of a spotty service record since that time. The Tavern at the Sun Inn, however, is its present incarnation and is doing well. For anyone curious, I had the "Lafayette" sandwich with arugula salad and it was delicious.
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| The Gast Stube as seen today; image property of Rachel Durs and used with permission |
When I got home, I contacted Rachel, who came to my rescue with some of her pictures from her time there. The first one she sent is this picture of the Gast Stube - literally, the 'guest room.' This is a room on the first floor where guests could play cards, talk, and otherwise pass the time communally. It has a large fireplace, a grandfather clock, and well-polished furniture. Also on the main floor is the kitchen with the walk-in fireplace, where meals would be prepared for the inn's guests. George Washington ate here, too, after all.
Upstairs, a lot of the guest rooms are no longer accessible, since the Sun Inn isn't an inn anymore; but one suite of rooms in particular is a visitor favorite. "Why," I asked, "does Martha Washington have her own suite of rooms?" Rachel explained that in colonial times, it was highly unusual for a woman to be traveling alone, so Martha's visit was notable. It was also of interest to the locals for a much different reason than the one that brought her husband to Bethlehem; Martha was actually there to see the Moravian community, as she was considering sending her niece to the school there. The Preservation Association maintains the suite of rooms she used during her tenancy, and keeps it as faithful as possible.
The beautiful historic Sun Inn is stop #27 on the Historic Bethlehem Heritage Trail, and hosts various activities in the courtyard behind the building throughout the year. The Tavern at the Sun Inn is open Wednesday through Saturday and has a casual dress code; hours and menus can be found here. The museum inside the Sun Inn is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 pm to 4 pm, with free admission and self-guided tours. Availability is subject to change depending on private events and other situations.
Sources and Further Reading:
"Visit, Explore, Experience Historic Moravian Bethlehem, Pennsylvania: A National Historic Landmark District," published by the Historic Bethlehem Preservation Association
The official website of the Sun Inn
The Sun Inn Preservation Association, Inc.
National Park Service page about the Sun Inn - includes old photographs
The Sun Inn's application for the National Register of Historic Places
The Tavern at the Sun Inn on Facebook
The Sun Inn at the Historical Marker Database
If you've enjoyed this, please leave a comment!
Except where indicated, all writing and photography on this blog is the intellectual property of Laura Klotz. This blog is written with permission of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. I am not employed by the PHMC. All rights reserved.
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