The Tavern

08/21/2026

Our letter drawer is filled to the brim with your notes, poems, artwork, and stories. We are working on a new notebook to flip through more easily. So don't worry if your old letter isn't here on your next visit!

08/13/2026

No AI food photos over here! We're working on a new website to help serve you better!

08/09/2026

The Tavern will be closed Sunday, August 9 for routine maintenance.

07/17/2026

Such good news for our trail lovers!

07/13/2026

Aperol party on! Swag while supplies last!

07/13/2026

Aperol Party tonight! Come see Mel, she'll be under the cover outside, due to the rain!

07/13/2026

Join Melanie at the outdoor bar this evening for an Aperol party! You'll be glad you did!

07/08/2026

Our neighbor captures some of the best images of our little part of Abingdon.

"You could not get a drink at The Tavern the year America was founded, but remarkably, you could just three years later when it was built in 1779."
📸 Byrum Geisler

Happy 250th America!

07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July! Stay safe and enjoy the day! We will be open tonight! Our bar areas are full service and first-come, first-served while seats are avaliable!

🇺🇸 Happy Independence Day from

As America celebrates 250 years, and Virginia commemorates its role in our nation’s founding through , we’re reminded that Abingdon’s own 250th anniversary is just around the corner in 2028. Our story has always been interwoven into the story of America.

We remember the legend of Daniel Boone’s journeys through the area, inspiring the name “Wolf Hills.” We remember The Great Wagon Road, bringing early settlers to Abingdon and helping establish a prosperous and culturally significant community hub.

We remember when the call for liberty came during the Revolutionary War, where men from all over the region gathered at the Abingdon Muster Grounds before beginning their march to Kings Mountain, South Carolina. Their decisive victory became a turning point in the fight for American independence and forever connected Abingdon to our nation’s founding.

We remember that our town has endured hardship, too. During the Civil War, General Stoneman’s Raid swept through Abingdon, destroying the original Washington County Courthouse and parts of Courthouse Hill.

We remember when young actor Robert Porterfield returned to his native Southwest Virginia to found the Barter Theatre in the midst of the Great Depression, famously allowing patrons to “barter” for admission. The legendary venue is now the longest running professional theatre in the United States.

We remember the arts renaissance experienced in Abingdon and the great artists and creatives of the late 20th century, many still with us and creating today. We fondly remember spaces such as The Starving Artist and are proud that visitors and residents alike can still enjoy spaces that grew out of this era like Holston Mountain Artisans, The Arts Depot, and William King Museum of Art.

We still raise our glasses at The Tavern, Virginia’s oldest bar, and roam the halls of The Martha Washington, a grand former women’s college and Civil War hospital.

When you walk these brick lined streets, and look upon the buildings and land around us, our story is everywhere. We are blessed to experience the same enduring sense of place that has shaped Abingdon for nearly 250 years.

07/03/2026

Celebrate America's 250th with us!