History of Spring House Tavern

There were seven documented 18th century inns operating between Spring House and the Allentown Road terminus. In 1735, forks in the road were formed around the Spring House, which was an old settlement at the time. By 1763 a stagecoach line ran between Philadelphia and Bethlehem. A stage-wagon left Philadelphia every Thursday morning for Bethlehem, which meant that it probably stayed the night at the Spring House Hotel. The Spring House Hotel was probably built in 1763 by Martin Shoemaker to take advantage of the increased business brought on by the new line. The Hotel was named for a small stone building across the street, which has since been demolished, that housed one of the several local springs. The busy junction of Sumneytown and Bethlehem Pikes is what sustained the hotel for a number of years. Revolutionary War General Lacey referenced the Hotel as the Spring House Tavern in 1778 in his dispatches. His men were stationed to intercept supplies to the British in Philadelphia.

Benjamin Davis was the owner after Shoemaker, until Christian Dull became proprietor of the Spring House Hotel from 1773 through 1827. In 1888 a fire destroyed the Hotel, when Samuel Custer was proprietor. Custer quickly rebuilt the Spring House Hotel, since he could count on the patronage of those traveling Bethlehem Pike. The Hotel was rebuilt on the original foundation and soon became a landmark in its own right. By the early 1900's the Spring House Hotel was run by a German family from Philadelphia. Charlie Kuebler was the eldest brother who ran the Hotel and the popular taproom.

In 1948 Charles Burns and his son, George Burns, bought the Spring House Tavern. In the early 1980's, the business was passed on to the third generation owner, James Burns. While maintaining the historic architecture, Jim has expanded the business with renovations and additions to the building as it exists today.