Defibaugh Tavern
Also known as: Willow Grove Tavern
Why it's listed
Built around 1785 on a bend of the Juniata River near Hartley in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, the Defibaugh Tavern is a log and frame house on a high rubblestone foundation, with a double-stacked front porch and a rear porch. The original log section has two bays, and a frame section of three bays was added in the early 19th century. Its owners were distillers and tavern keepers, and family members are recorded as taking part in the Whiskey Rebellion excise protests of the 1790s. Court records list Jacob and Adam Defibaugh among men charged in 1794 with treasonable activity linked to the protests. The building is regarded as a rare surviving example of a late 18th and early 19th century vernacular tavern in Bedford County. It later served as a drovers' tavern and was known as the Willow Grove Tavern by the mid-19th century. A barn from the late 18th century also stands on the property.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the tavern is a rare surviving and representative example of a late 18th to 19th century tavern in Bedford County, associated with the Defibaugh family of distillers and tavern keepers during the Whiskey Rebellion. Family members are documented as taking part in the excise protest, and the building is linked to the anti-excise activity of the period.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 92001498, listed November 12, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | US 30 N side, E of Bedford, Snake Spring Valley Township, Bedford |
|---|---|
| County | Bedford County |
| Listed | November 12, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001498 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1785-1815 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular tavern house |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1978 according to a datestone; the kitchen ell was rebuilt in frame with stone veneer in the late twentieth century; the tavern was operated by Defibaugh family members until the 1860s. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.02625, -78.45246 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 92001498.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5251546
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.