History
Located near the eastern base of Bear Garden Mountain in the Mill Branch valley, Hook Tavern was constructed along the Northwestern Turnpike between the 1790 and 1809 on property belonging to early Hampshire County settler Peter Mauzy.
In 1840, the property was purchased by the Hook family who began operating the building as a tavern. Samuel Hook and John B. Sherrard obtained a hotel license on May 26, 1848 to operate the tavern as a fully functioning hotel. On June 1, 1862, Hook paid $10 for another hotel keeper's license.
During the American Civil War, on February 3, 1862, J. A. Hunter of the Confederate States Army stated that because of severe weather, it was necessary for the Confederates to commandeer Samuel Hook's tavern and wood for the comfort of 80 sick men in his charge.
Renovations in July 1956 revealed the name and date "William C. Black, May 7, 1845" on a plaster wall. Other names and remarks discovered included: "I can throw any mule driver on the road, John New" and "Too much snuff, McCauley" dated May 7, 1853.
The Hook family and its descendants owned the tavern and its surrounding property from 1840 until 1987 when it was purchased by real estate developer Edward Noble of Atlanta, Georgia. In 2009, the tavern and its adjacent three acres were listed on the market for sale. The property is now a junk store owned by Justin Eversole, of Eversole Enterprises.
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