Woof Bar History Night: From Taverns to Taprooms - York’s Drinking Places, Then & Now
Schedule
Thu Dec 18 2025 at 07:00 pm to 09:00 pm
UTC-05:00Location
New York Wire Works | York, PA
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Before York had breweries, bars, or even proper streets, it had taverns - and those taverns did a lot more than pour drinks.Join us for an evening of stories, good conversation, live music by The Ploughboys, and prohibition cocktails as we explore York County’s taverns and brewing history, from muddy crossroads inns and stagecoach stops to the rise of local breweries and the modern taproom. A musical guest will play a couple of short sets throughout the evening, helping set the atmosphere between chapters of the talk.
In the first half, we’ll step inside 18th- and 19th-century taverns - places that doubled as post offices, courtrooms, election sites, and community living rooms. We’ll visit familiar landmarks like the Golden Plough Tavern, the York Valley Inn, and the Red Lion Tavern - the inn that gave an entire town its name.
In the second half, we’ll follow what was in those tavern mugs: beer, cider, and spirits. We’ll look at how York’s clean water and abundant grain fueled early brewing, meet the county’s first licensed brewers, and trace the growth (and setbacks) of local beer culture through Prohibition and beyond. Along the way, we’ll connect historic taverns to today’s taprooms - and why water, architecture, and community still matter just as much now as they did 250 years ago.
This Thursday, December 18 from 7 to 9 PM in The Hangar at New York Wire Works - come for the history, stay for the beer, enjoy the music, and leave with a new appreciation for the places where York has always gathered to eat, drink, argue, celebrate, and tell stories.
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Where is it happening?
New York Wire Works, 441 E Market St, York, PA 17403-1618, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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