For over 200 years, Bedford County taverns have served as stopovers for weary travelers en route to Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. Over the years, most of these taverns have ceased to operate. However, the Jean Bonnet Tavern continues to offer a fine meal, a tankard of ale, and a good night's rest.
Built in 1769 between the Glades Road and Forbes Road, the Jean Bonnet Tavern was part of the original William Penn Land Grant. Since this was the only trail west through the Allegheny Mountains, the tavern saw brisk business. In addition to serving travelers, it was the last stop for troops headed for Fort Ligonier and Fort Duquesne. The Bedford to Stoystown Turnpike was built in 1818 over the same path. The Lincoln Highway followed the same route a century later.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Jean Bonnet Tavern's two-foot thick fieldstone walls, large fireplaces, and chestnut beams all add to the unique dining and lodging experience for today's Lincoln Highway travelers.
One of the 1928 Lincoln Highway cement markers is located on the north side of the road about 100 feet east of the Tavern. Fewer than two dozen remain along the route in Pennsylvania.
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