The historic King George Inn, located at the corner of Cedar Crest Blvd and Hamilton Blvd in South Whitehall Township is scheduled for demolition as part of the new owner’s plan to build a hotel, a bank and perhaps a pharmacy on the property.

The restaurant, which was not protected from demolition despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, closed in 2012. Cliff McDermott, King George Inn owner, ran the popular tavern for over forty years.

Fine dining or just having cocktails with friends were regular occurrences at the King George Inn. Guests could eat out on the covered patio area, or eat inside.

The 3 story, stone building dates back to the 1700s, but had been renovated over the years to suit the business that was located in this building. It offered both a step back into time, and a modern facility suited for any occasion. Each floor contained an antique cocktail bar. There were 6 historically quaint dining rooms, that varied in size, enabling the restaurant to accommodate seating for 10 to 65 people in each room, making this place a great venue for any celebration or event, carrying on the tradition of serving the people since it was built so long ago.

The building was built in 1756, around the time of the French and Indian War, offering a place of refuge from terrorism. It was a rough time to be a settler during this era, when France and England were fighting over American territory, using violent means to do so, causing much pain and suffering to those folks who got in the way. This building also was an inn and a tavern, offering a place to sleep for folks traveling to Easton, Reading, Philadelphia, and the Allegheny Mountains. It was the area’s community center as well, becoming a building used for a town hall, meeting house, courthouse, early church, and a place to find out what is happening; a news-center.

During the Revolutionary War, Washington’s troops camped in the fields behind the building, while the officers probably stayed in the inn. The area where the soldiers did their drills was in a field behind the building as well. It is also purported to have hosted clandestine meetings of the Sons of Liberty of Boston Tea Party fame, and former President John Adams and his second cousin Samuel.

Over the years, this building became a welcoming establishment to new-comers to the area, living up to the restaurant’s motto: “Host to Hungry, weary travelers at these historic crossroads.”

The King George Inn is one of Allentown’s best and oldest haunts. Many patrons and staff at the Inn have described the sound of a baby crying and have seen a woman carrying the child near the basement and in the kitchen of the Inn. There were many other tales and rumors that the tavern was haunted and had been the subject of many a “ghostly” sighting” over the years. Whether any of those stories are true or false, you can be assured that when you look at the new hotel and bank to be built on its’ site, the ghost of The King George Inn will always haunt the intersection of Cedar Crest Blvd. and Hamilton St.

Do you have a favorite memory or story about the King George Inn?  Please fill out the form below and we will publish the best and most interesting stories in a future article.