The Christiana Inn

The Christiana Inn, built in the middle of the 18th century, sits on the corner of South Old Baltimore Pike and West Main Street.  It was one of the most noted stops along the Old King's Road, and frequented by some of the most important people in early America.

The Christiana Inn, 1960's photograph

It is a coommodious three-bay, two-story brick structure which was standing before 1770.  Like its neighbors, this house was built on a solid stone foundation.  Each of the two stret facades are laid in a Flemish boond pattern with a molded brick water table, seqmented window arches and a box cornice with an unusually heavy molded trim.  Unlike the other brick dwellings in the village above the bridge, the inn contains a pedimented gable on each end.

George Washington often stayed or at least dined here when traveling between Philadelphia and his home on the Potomac.  Other important guests included surveyors Mason and Dixon, the Marquis de Lafayette, and possibly explorers Lewis and Clark as well.  The structure thrived as a house of entertainment well into the 19th century.  Among its numerous proprietors were Joseph Janvier, Nicholas CLine, and Jediah Davidson.  By 1815, David Armstrong had become proprietor of the inn.  It was here, at Armstrong's residence at Christiana Bridge, that a special election was held in 1820 for the purpose of electing a Captain, a First Lieutenant, a Second Lieutenant, and an Ensign for the volunteer company of Union Guards.  Having viewed the "fluctuating events" which had followed each other in rapid succession on the Continent, many residents of New Castle County had agreed to organize a volunteer company of light infantry that would be prepared to take action at a moment's notcie.  Among the sixty-seven subscribers were David Armstrong, John Boyd, Abraham Cannon, John Hall, John and Thomas Montgomery, and Isaac Price. By the 20th century the building was used as a tavern, and continues to have commercial uses. Source: Christiana Historic District Nomination, National Register of Historic Places, 1974.

Christiana Inn in the 1970's