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Rodgers Tavern, also known as Stevenson's Tavern, is a historic hotellocated at Perryville, Cecil County, Maryland, United States. It is a mid-18th-century, two-story stone structure with a basement. It was frequently visited by George Washington between the years 1755 and 1798, when it was owned and operated as an inn and tavern by Colonel John Rodgers (1728–1791). He was the father of John Rodgers(1772–1838), U.S. naval officer. Rodgers Tavern was listed on the National Register of Historic Places during 1972.
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Surviving Structures
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Rodgers Tavern, formerly known as Stevenson's Tavern, is an 18th-century historical tavern in Cecil County. The tavern is located on 259 Broad Street, Perryville MD, 21903 and is originally known as the Ferry House due to the fact that it was built next to a ferry in 1695. The original owner of the tavern was William Stevenson. There were other tavern keepers in later years until 1886 when the use of bridges and railroads began to replace the use of ferries and carriages, which caused the route that the tavern was on to decrease in popularity and no longer needed.
TAVERN
EST. 1750
The Rodgers family actively supported the American cause during the American Revolution. Due to its location on the main thoroughfare and the owners’ stalwart patriotism, it became a favorite stopping place for such Revolutionary figures as Washington, Lafayette, Rochambeau, Jefferson, and Madison. In 1775, Colonel John Rodger is known for leaving his post operating the ferry and tavern in order to assemble and lead the 5th Company of the Maryland militia, which later became associated with the Flying Corps, an integral part of the early Revolution. John Rodgers Jr. became known as the “Father of the American Navy” for his service in the war of 1812 as Commodore of the American Navy.
In 1781, just after Rodgers bought the tavern, Washington brought troops through Lower Ferry Crossing where he would later win the battle of Yorktown against Cornwallis. He noted in his diary that he often dined there when traveling from Virginia to Philadelphia. Rodgers Tavern was convenient in its direct location across from Havre de Grace. Washington spent the night thirty times between 1775 and 1798 from his days in the pre-Revolutionary military through his presidency.
Following the American Revolution, Rodgers Tavern continued as a well-frequented establishment known for excellent food and entertainment. However, the Lower Susquehanna Route, in which Rodgers Tavern is located on, became less popular with the introduction of bridges and railroads over the now antiquated ferries and carriages.
HISTORIC PEOPLE
George Washington
Commander-in-Chief