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The first settler, Jonathan Harlan, came to our area about
1797 and settled on 400 acres that were given to him in a land grant.
He laid out the village of Harlansburg, and built the very first house
which remained standing until about 1840.
By 1877, Harlansburg was home to three general stores, several churches,
two blacksmith shops, two shoe shops, a photograph gallery, a gristmill
and a post office. The Village Inn is now housed in what was once Jordan's
General Store. Built between 1840 and 1850, the bricks used in construction
of the general store were formed and fired on the premises, and shards
of discarded brick are still found in the flower beds today.
In stage coach days, Harlansburg, located on the well- traveled Pittsburgh-Erie
Post Road, was a popular stopping off place. The Post Road, now known
as Route 19, was later named the Perry Highway after Commodore Perry who
led his troops over it in the War of 1812.
Many travelers passed through the village utilizing the services of the
vendors therein, and seeking boarding, but much like today, the local
population was never much larger than two hundred residents.
The Prospect of Oil
In 1876, the prospect of oil in Harlansburg brought much excitement and
some development to the tiny burg. Settlers arrived and formed the Aladdin
Oil Company of New Castle. Test wells were put down into the earth, but
no oil was everfound in the village.
Landmarks
Several landmarks still remain within the village today, although
only two are open to the public. The Unity Baptist Church, built in 1804,
is one of the oldest churches in the area and remains in use today. Past
fire damaged the sanctuary of the church, but restoration has successfully
taken place.
Located across Church Street from The Village Inn, is the old Harlansburg
Hotel which was constructed at the same time as Jordan's General Store,
and shares the same architecture. For many years it housed Noll and McGee
Antiques, but is now a private residence used to showcase the lovely Victorian
lampshades that Mr. Noll produces for sale.
The white structure across Route 108 from the Inn, was once a feedmill
operating within the village.
In 1947, Mrs. Jordan sold the General Store to the Jarrett brothers, and
The Village Inn celebrated it's opening day on Saturday, June 21, 1947.
For 38 consecutive years, the Jarrett's ran the Inn, first as a smorgasbord
until 1977, and then as a full-service, homestyle restaurant. In 1985,
they sold the Inn and the format was changed to fine dining. A little
known fact about our Inn is that in 1992 we hosted a presidential visit
from Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore.
Tradition
Today, The Village Inn offers a full line of banquet and meeting services,
and fine dining, in keeping with the long history and traditions of the
past. We offer an historical dining experience with elements of the home-style
serving made popular by the Jarrett brothers, and our own home quality,
handmade foods and desserts. In addition, Jody's Pantry is always stocked
with fresh baked goods for purchase.
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