McCoole's Inn
by Bob Waite
There are some buildings that carry no history. They are old but forgotten and there is no record. McCoole’s at the Historic Red Lion Inn is not one of them. It has a lively history dating back to Colonial times, when Quakertown was just large enough to support a Friends Meeting and German immigrants were beginning to trickle in. This new group would soon greatly outnumber the original Quaker inhabitants for whom the town was named.
Jan Hench took over the restaurant in June 2005. It was then called The Red Lion Inn, which is the name it received from owners during the 1800s. But as Jan explained, “People really don’t understand why we call it McCoole’s when they know it as the Red Lion Inn. Well because Walter McCoole is the one that built it and found it.” She added, “I had to let people know it was a different venue, so that’s why I attached the original owner’s name. I bought the hotel in 2002 and did the renovations. They were finished in May 2003 in time for the commemoration of the historic marker for the Fries Rebellion.”
Quakertown is named after a Friends’ meetinghouse that was built in 1723. A Quaker, Walter McCoole opened a tavern there in either 1747 or 1748. This ran counter to the practice of 18th century Quakers. Taverns, not only put up travelers who were reaching their destinations slowly by horse, foot and water, but also men who had bad reputations. They were places where men could drink mead, wine and spirits and end up intoxicated. This was especially troublesome to Quakers. Quakers prior to the mid 18th century actually advocated moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages, but never complete abstinence. However by the 1740s Friends began to favor complete abstinence and even prohibition. This movement among Quakers affected Walter McCoole.
McCoole’s own congregation, called the Richland Meeting, was caught up in the anti-alcohol and tobacco movement. Selling alcohol was considered by these Colonial Friends to be a form of extortion and oppression. A letter from the congregation sent to McCoole stated that he was “… guilty of great Injustice & of Oppression in extorting Money from many ignorant persons in a base & scandalous manner.” The letter called for McCoole’s expulsion and condemnation unless he would “oblige himself to make Restitution to the persons injur’d by him,” meaning those who bought intoxicating beverages at his tavern. It seems McCoole ignored the threatening letter and continued in his business.
To finish reading this historic account, turn to page 118 of the Spring 2016 issue of Bucks County Magazine.