Formerly: Traphagen Tavern · Bogardus Tavern · Potter's Tavern
Rhinebeck, New York · Founded 1766 · Building: 1766
A Rhinebeck inn with a 1766 Beekman Arms identity, rooted in a 1704 predecessor tavern and long associated with Revolutionary and FDR-era history.
Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn traces its hospitality story to William Traphagen's 1704 travelers' tavern at the Rhinebeck crossroads. In 1766, Arent Traphagen expanded and relocated the family enterprise into the Beekman Arms, the historic inn identity still associated with the property today. The inn remains active in downtown Rhinebeck, with its Revolutionary-era stories and Franklin D. Roosevelt campaign-porch tradition central to its public history.
William Traphagen established Traphagen Tavern at the crossroads in the Dutch settlement then known as Ryn Beck.
Source: Historic Hotels of America, "Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"; Clio, "Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn"
Arent Traphagen expanded and relocated the earlier family tavern, creating the Beekman Arms at the Rhinebeck crossroads.
Source: Historic Hotels of America, "Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"; Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn, "History"
Historic accounts say the Fourth Regiment of the Continental Army drilled on the inn's front lawn during the Revolutionary era.
Source: Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn, "History"; Historic Hotels of America, "History of Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"
Asa Potter purchased the inn, which later historical accounts describe as Potter's Tavern during this period.
Source: Historic Hotels of America, "Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"; Clio, "Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn"
Charles LaForge purchased the Beekman Arms and later acquired the nearby Delamater Inn, renovating parts of the property.
Source: Historic Hotels of America, "History of Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"; Patch, "Beekman Arms: 'Resting Place' For Heart, Soul Of The Community," April 25, 2024
George Banta Sr. purchased Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn from Charles LaForge, according to local and historic-hotel accounts.
Source: Historic Hotels of America, "History of Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"; Patch, "Beekman Arms: 'Resting Place' For Heart, Soul Of The Community," April 25, 2024
The inn's official website and New York State tourism listing advertised active accommodations and event facilities at 6387 Mill St in Rhinebeck.
Source: Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn official website, accessed August 2026; I LOVE NY, "Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"
Every claim gets rated. A business's own website can never earn "documented."
New York tourism, Historic Hotels of America, and the inn itself all market Beekman Arms as America's oldest continuously operating inn and identify 1766 as the Beekman Arms date. The claim is credible and longstanding, but this review did not inspect a complete year-by-year operating record or directly compare every national rival using the same definition of inn, name continuity, public hospitality service, and business identity.
Historic Hotels of America, Clio, the inn's own history, and regional historical writing consistently identify a 1704 Traphagen Tavern at the Rhinebeck crossroads. The 1704 tavern is the Beekman Arms' predecessor lineage; the present Beekman Arms identity and building history are associated with Arent Traphagen's 1766 expansion and relocation.
Historic Hotels of America and the inn's own history say these Revolutionary figures slept, ate, drank, argued, and laughed at the tavern. The inn's Revolutionary importance is credible and its lawn is said to have hosted Continental Army drills, but this review did not inspect contemporaneous letters, military orders, diaries, lodging accounts, or the cited George Washington Papers to establish each named person's specific presence.
Historic Hotels of America, the inn's own history, and regional accounts consistently say Roosevelt, a nearby Hyde Park resident and frequent guest, concluded each of his four gubernatorial and presidential campaigns from the Beekman Arms porch. The specific speeches and dates should be verified through FDR Presidential Library records or contemporary newspapers before the claim is rated documented.
Later historical accounts repeat a story that a quarrel at the tavern helped lead to Burr and Hamilton's duel. Those accounts also describe General Morgan Lewis as based at the inn while Burr was based at the Kip Tavern, and they do not provide contemporary evidence connecting the alleged tavern dispute directly to the duel. The story should be preserved only as disputed local lore.
The current Beekman Arms building was built in 1704.
The 1704 date refers to William Traphagen's predecessor travelers' tavern. In 1766, Arent Traphagen expanded and relocated the family business into the Beekman Arms identity associated with the present historic inn.
Source: Historic Hotels of America, "Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"; Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn, "History"
Beekman Arms has a fully documented, unbroken commercial operating record since 1766.
The inn is widely described as continuously operating since 1766, but this review did not inspect the complete sequence of deeds, licenses, ledgers, tax records, guest registers, or operating records needed to prove uninterrupted commercial hospitality across more than two centuries.
Source: I LOVE NY, "Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"; Historic Hotels of America, "Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"
Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton regularly met at Beekman Arms immediately before their 1804 duel.
Later local accounts repeat a story that a quarrel at the tavern contributed to the Burr-Hamilton conflict, but they do not provide contemporaneous proof. Those accounts say General Morgan Lewis was based at the inn while Burr was based at the Kip Tavern.
Source: Clio, "Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn"; Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn, "History"
Beekman Arms is at 6388 Mill Street in Rhinebeck.
Current New York State tourism, Historic Hotels of America, and inn materials list the address as 6387 Mill St, Rhinebeck, NY 12572.
Source: I LOVE NY, "Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"; Historic Hotels of America, "Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn"; Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn official website
The Beekman Arms survived because the Rhinebeck crossroads kept changing with American travel rather than disappearing from it. A colonial tavern became an inn, later ownership added and renovated neighboring lodging, and the property retained a visible role in the village center. Its endurance rests on the combination of a working hospitality business, an unusually deep local-history narrative, and continual adaptation of the broader Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn property.
Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn took its present historic identity in 1766, when Arent Traphagen expanded and relocated the earlier Traphagen Tavern at the Rhinebeck crossroads. William Traphagen had established the predecessor travelers' tavern in 1704. The property later passed through Bogardus and Potter's Tavern eras, became associated with Revolutionary War history, and remains an operating Rhinebeck inn.
Beekman Arms is widely promoted by New York tourism, Historic Hotels of America, and the inn itself as America's oldest continuously operating inn, with a Beekman Arms date of 1766. The claim is credible but remains unresolved in this register because a national comparison of rival inns and a complete documentary continuity record have not yet been reviewed. Its older 1704 Traphagen Tavern lineage should not be confused with the 1766 Beekman Arms building and identity.
Franklin D. Roosevelt is widely reported to have concluded each of his four gubernatorial and presidential campaigns from the Beekman Arms front porch. Roosevelt lived nearby in Hyde Park and was a frequent guest at the Rhinebeck inn. The exact speech dates should be checked against FDR Presidential Library records and contemporary newspapers.
The Beekman Arms' history includes both dates, but they refer to different stages. William Traphagen established a predecessor tavern in Rhinebeck in 1704. Arent Traphagen expanded and relocated that family enterprise into the Beekman Arms in 1766, which is the date used for the current historic inn identity and building.
Historic Hotels of America and the inn's own history say George Washington was among Revolutionary leaders who slept, ate, drank, and met at the property. The inn also has a documented Revolutionary-era tradition involving Continental Army drilling on its lawn. This review did not inspect Washington's correspondence, diaries, military orders, or lodging records, so the specific stay remains historically plausible rather than independently proven here.
6387 Mill St, Rhinebeck, NY 12572
(845) 876-7077
Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn is in central Rhinebeck near the Route 9 and Route 308 crossroads. The inn advertises accommodations, events, and tavern dining; confirm current room availability, restaurant hours, parking, and accessibility directly before visiting.