According to our map, we’re only a few miles away. But as the two-lane U.S. route stretches out before us, Hanover Tavern seems a much greater distance. Still, like generations of travelers before us, we agree the journey is worthwhile.
Part of the Hanover Courthouse Historic District— dating back to 1733—Hanover Tavern’s history includes stints as an inn, stagecoach stop, post office, and dinner theater. It also boasts a long list of noteworthy guests, including Edgar Allan Poe, John Marshall, P.T. Barnum, Charles Dickens, and Marquis de Lafayette. Patrick Henry even spent time here when he argued his famous Parson’s Cause at the Hanover Courthouse.
After a 15-year restoration, the tavern is now home to three businesses: the Hanover Tavern Foundation, the Barksdale Theatre, and—our destination—Michelle’s, a fine revival of…