Colley, Peter, Tavern and Barn
Why it's listed
Built about 1796 by Peter Colley in Brier Hill, Fayette County, this two-section sandstone tavern is laid in random courses with a boxed cornice and wooden shingle roof. Its earlier block is three bays wide, with a central hall, and its rear addition extends about 44 feet. Ten fireplaces remain in the house, eight for heating and two for cooking in the cellar. The cellar kitchen keeps its original dirt floor, a walk-in fireplace and a food storage room with 67 wrought iron meat hooks. The barroom, its fireplace and an 1830 or 1840 bar with a beverage pass-through also survive intact. The tavern predates the 1818 opening of the National Road, which passed within ten feet of its front door, and it is regarded as one of the earliest taverns in the area. The attached bank barn, built in 1848 with queen post framing, is the only other surviving part of the original complex.
Significance in brief: The tavern is described as the only one of nine taverns or inns on the National Road between Uniontown and Brownsville known to predate the road's 1818 opening, and one of the earliest tavern keepers in the area. Its stone construction is presented as a folk craft built by Welsh, English and Scotch-Irish masons rather than German stonemasons, and its intact cellar kitchen, barroom and bar are cited as significant interior features.
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 73001630, listed July 24, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | On U.S. 40, Brier Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Fayette County |
| Listed | July 24, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001630 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1796 |
| Architect / builder | Peter Colley (builder of tavern, 1796); two carpenters of probably English ancestry (barn, 1848, unnamed) |
| Architectural style | Georgian style exterior |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Fair condition, altered, on original site |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Brier Hill |
| Coordinates | 39.98042, -79.83109 (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 73001630.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7173334
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.