Hershey, Pennsylvania ·
A historic restaurant property near Hershey reported to date to 1751, but closed after the pandemic and later listed for sale as a turnkey restaurant.
Union Canal House is a historic restaurant property at 107 S Hanover Street in South Hanover Township near Hershey, Pennsylvania. A 2013 local feature described the structure as dating to 1751, but this review did not locate primary documents confirming its original construction, stagecoach-inn role, or uninterrupted commercial use. The restaurant suffered major flood damage in 2011, reopened after extensive restoration in 2013, then closed for dine-in service during the pandemic and was later marketed for sale.
A 2013 local feature described the Union Canal House structure as dating to this year. This review did not locate primary property, construction, or historic-survey records verifying the date or original use.
Source: TheBurg, "Lost in the Flood? Not the Union Canal House, which has re-surfaced stronger," July 30, 2013
Sterl Simmons said his father, Babe Simmons, bought the business in this year. The ownership sequence and legal entity require independent verification.
Source: TheBurg, "Lost in the Flood? Not the Union Canal House, which has re-surfaced stronger," July 30, 2013
Tropical Storm Lee caused severe flooding at Union Canal House, forcing the restaurant to close. PennLive reported in 2013 that the restaurant had closed in September 2011.
Source: PennLive, "Union Canal House restaurant near Hershey rebounds from Tropical Storm Lee," April 4, 2013; TheBurg, "Lost in the Flood? Not the Union Canal House, which has re-surfaced stronger," July 30, 2013
Union Canal House reopened after about 18 months of restoration following Tropical Storm Lee flood damage.
Source: PennLive, "Union Canal House restaurant near Hershey rebounds from Tropical Storm Lee," April 4, 2013; TheBurg, "Lost in the Flood? Not the Union Canal House, which has re-surfaced stronger," July 30, 2013
The restaurant closed for dine-in service during the COVID-19 pandemic and did not reopen, according to later PennLive reporting.
Source: PennLive, "Historic tavern near Hershey listed for sale for $1.3 million," May 11, 2021
Real-estate materials marketed the historic Union Canal House property as a turnkey restaurant with a retail liquor license and six occupied rental units.
Source: Bright MLS listing for 107 S Hanover St; 2024–2026 property listings
The property continued to appear in commercial/residential sale listings as a historic restaurant property. This review did not find reliable evidence of resumed public restaurant or bar service.
Source: Coldwell Banker, "107 S Hanover St, Hershey, PA 17033," March 6, 2026; Homesale property listing
Every claim gets rated. A business's own website can never earn "documented."
A specialized review of Underground Railroad sites near Harrisburg identifies the Union Canal House story as local legend tied to a subterranean tunnel and states that no known evidence supports it. The location could plausibly have been near a freedom-seeking route, and canals were sometimes used for travel, but that does not establish that the property sheltered freedom seekers.
A 2013 local feature says the historic structure dates to 1751, but this review found no primary construction record, tavern license, stagecoach-route document, historic inventory, or deed establishing that exact date or original use. Commercial listing databases also give inconsistent build years, making the claim unresolved.
The historical business timeline is not established, and the record documents at least two material closures: an approximately 18-month shutdown after Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 and a pandemic-era closure after which the restaurant did not reopen as of 2021. The property was later listed for sale rather than confirmed as a current operating restaurant.
PennLive reported that the restaurant closed during the pandemic and did not reopen. Subsequent listings marketed the building as a turnkey restaurant property for sale, and a current public restaurant listing labels it closed. A transferable liquor license does not establish that the dining operation is currently open.
Union Canal House is a continuously operating 1751 stagecoach inn and tavern.
A local feature describes the structure as dating to 1751, but primary records confirming its construction date, original stagecoach-inn use, and continuous commercial operation were not located. The property also had an approximately 18-month 2011–13 closure and a later pandemic-era shutdown.
Source: TheBurg, "Lost in the Flood? Not the Union Canal House, which has re-surfaced stronger," July 30, 2013; PennLive, "Union Canal House restaurant near Hershey rebounds from Tropical Storm Lee," April 4, 2013; PennLive, "Historic tavern near Hershey listed for sale for $1.3 million," May 11, 2021
Union Canal House used hidden basement rooms and tunnels to shelter freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad.
A specialist review of Harrisburg-area Underground Railroad locations calls the story local legend and states that no known evidence supports the Union Canal House claim.
Source: Afrolumens, "Underground Railroad Sites Near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania"
Union Canal House is located in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania.
The property is listed at 107 S Hanover St near Hershey, in South Hanover Township/Union Deposit. It is not in the Borough of Hummelstown.
Source: PennLive, "Historic tavern near Hershey listed for sale for $1.3 million," May 11, 2021; Coldwell Banker, "107 S Hanover St, Hershey, PA 17033," March 6, 2026
Union Canal House remains open as a restaurant and tavern.
PennLive reported in 2021 that the restaurant closed during the pandemic and did not reopen. The property was later listed for sale as a turnkey restaurant with a liquor license and apartments; this review did not find evidence of resumed public service.
Source: PennLive, "Historic tavern near Hershey listed for sale for $1.3 million," May 11, 2021; Coldwell Banker, "107 S Hanover St, Hershey, PA 17033," March 6, 2026
Union Canal House’s most defensible story is one of repeated preservation efforts, not unbroken colonial hospitality. In 2011, Tropical Storm Lee caused catastrophic flooding that damaged much of the restaurant; then-owner Sterl Simmons oversaw an approximately 18-month restoration and reopened it in 2013. Later pandemic closure and property-for-sale listings show that the site’s future depends on a new operator or buyer, while its historic building claims require more rigorous documentary research.
Union Canal House is a historic restaurant property at 107 S Hanover Street in South Hanover Township near Hershey, Pennsylvania. A 2013 local report described the building as dating to 1751, but this review did not locate primary records confirming its exact construction date, original use, or claimed stagecoach-inn history. The property was a restaurant under Simmons-family ownership for decades, suffered major flooding in 2011, reopened in 2013, and later closed during the pandemic.
No. Union Canal House is not established as Pennsylvania's oldest bar, and this review did not find evidence that it is currently operating as a bar or restaurant. The property has a reported 1751 historic-structure date, but that does not establish a continuous eighteenth-century tavern business. Documented 2011–13 and post-pandemic closures would also defeat any uninterrupted-operation claim.
There is no known evidence that Union Canal House served as an Underground Railroad station. A review of Harrisburg-area Underground Railroad sites identifies the story as local legend focused on a tunnel beneath the property. The building's location may have been near potential freedom-seeking routes, but no records were found showing that hidden rooms or tunnels sheltered escaping enslaved people.
The best available evidence indicates that Union Canal House is not currently open as a public restaurant or bar. PennLive reported that it closed for dine-in service during the pandemic and did not reopen, while more recent real-estate listings market the property as a turnkey restaurant for sale. Confirm directly with a current owner, broker, or local licensing authority before planning a visit.
Tropical Storm Lee caused severe flooding at Union Canal House in September 2011. Local reporting said the restaurant sustained major damage and took about 18 months to restore before reopening in 2013. That recovery preserved the property but was also a documented interruption in restaurant operation.
107 S Hanover St, Hershey, PA 17033
(717) 566-0054
None on file
Union Canal House was reported closed as a restaurant after the pandemic and has been listed for sale as a turnkey restaurant property. Do not rely on legacy directory hours or phone information; confirm current public access, ownership, and any reopening directly before visiting.