The Espy House was originally built by Josiah Espy in Liberty, PA (now Espy) in 1776 after William Penn granted him the land to establish a community along the river. It is rumored this was a hotel for a while. The house fell into disrepair over the years as renters neglected the home. It was slated by the township to be destroyed. A NY architect heard about the home and decided to disassemble the
home with the hope of relocating it at a later date. He meticulously numbered every log, timber and stone in the 1970's. He stored it in a barn and later reassembled it on it's current lot in the 1980's. When reassembled in Carlisle PA, the architect was seeking a recycled material for the tavern room floors, since the original were dirt. He was led to a garage where much to his surprise, the bricks that had once been the original streets of Carlisle had been stored when they were taken up in order for the streets to be paved. The Tavern now has this added history from Carlisle to add to its charm. The Josiah Espy House is considered a replica because it was disassembled and moved. We are still trying to learn more about the Espy family. There are some very interesting stories told of the family and their reason for leaving Europe to come to America, including a fleeing heiress to the Scottish throne. Any information you might provide is greatly appreciated!
