Blue Horse Tavern- Blue Bell, PA

Everyone wouldn't guess this building is historic. Based on old pictures, the building looks remarkably the same, with exceptions with remolding and adding sections of the building. The first time I went to eat there was at least 2 years ago celebrating my sister's birthday. There's not much history with building, but it's apparently significant based on the CRGIS map from the PA Historical and Museum Commission.

"The 'Blue Horse Tavern,' a well known inn across from the 'Blue Bell Inn,' has been known by several names over the years. In the 1700's, the property was owned by the DeHaven family and was a private residence until 1926 when it became the 'Villa Mona Inn.' Later, it was known as 'Frank and Eddie's' and... 'Tommy Woodeshick's Pier 37.'" - Whitpain... Crossroads in Time

Today, the Panache Wood Fire Grill operates the building, and before it was changed to Panache, it used to be Marabella’s, Blue Horse Tavern, and L’Angolo Blue.

The architects who were behind the Blue Horse Tavern renovation were R.A. Hoffman Architects, Inc. and MidAtlantic Construction. It was completed in the fall of 2004. The owner at the time was Frank Ferro. The construction cost was over 1 million dollars.

Pennsylvania Historical Resource Survey Form

It's remarkable how its physicality never changed one bit. With a few exceptions. Notice how I kept the Panache Wood Fire Grill sign

Right across from the Blue Bell Inn on Skippack Pike. Whose food is better? Who knows.

It's unknown when this photo was taken, but it's old. Notice the old Blue Horse sign on the building.

Google Satellite Map: 602 W Skippack Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422

John DeHaven Family Tree; Red represents the property owner; Blue represents involvement in the Revolutionary War; Purple represents both

According to an 1850 census of Whitpain Township, it was confirmed that David DeHaven, Jr. was, in fact, a resident of Whitpain with his wife and children. His occupation was a farmer. David was the son of a Revolutionary War veteran, David, Sr.

It looks like David DeHaven owned the property until either the end of the 19th century based on how long the family lived in the area, according to this 1871 map.

"J. DeHaven" must be David's son John who took over this father's property until the late 1910s in this 1893 map

Atlas of the North Penn Section of Montgomery County, Pa., 1916, Plate 28; A. H. Mueller, Publisher

Bibliography:

"About Panache." Panache Woodfire Grill. Accessed April 10, 2020. https://panachewoodfiregrill.com/about-panache/.

"Blue Horse Tavern." MidAtlantic Construction. Accessed April 10, 2020. https://www.midatl.net/projects/blue-horse-tavern/.

"Distance Calculator." DaftLogic. Accessed September 18, 2019. https://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm.

Hopkins, G.M. Atlas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Page 031, 1871.

Mueller, A. H. Atlas of the North Penn Section of Montgomery County, Pa., Plate 28, 1916.

Smith, J. L. Montgomery County 1893, Whitpain and Worcester Townships, Bethel Hill, Fairview, Cedar Hill, Washington Square, Broad Axe Left, 1893.

Whitpain Township Bicentennial Commission. Whitpain... Crossroads in Time. (Montgomery County, PA: Whitpain Township Bicentennial Commission, 1977), 364.

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