Michigan’s Oldest Business Is Nearly 200 Years Old And Still Going

Let's travel back to 1835. The United States had only 24 states, Texas was at war with Mexico, the lightbulb hadn't been invented yet, and Charles Darwin was starting his groundbreaking work on evolution in the Galapagos. Oh, and there was the Great Moon Hoax of 1835. It was a curious time on the cusp of many other major events happening.

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Before Michigan became a state (1837), the Sumnerville Tavern, known today as the Old Tavern Inn, opened in the small community of Sumnerville between present-day Niles and Dowagiac back in 1835. Owner Peabody Cook probably didn't expect his little tavern to be running nearly 200 years later. But, business is still going in the exact spot it started 190 years ago, making it the oldest business in Michigan still operating in the place it started on its original foundations. 

⬇️DETROIT'S JAMES SCOTT MANSION, THEN AND NOW⬇️

A Brief History of the Old Tavern Inn

The Old Tavern Inn (OTI)'s history is pretty well-documented thanks to a book inside the tavern detailing its history from 1835 to now. According to this book, the tavern started as a 1-room log structure built on the stagecoach route that once connected Detroit to Chicago. Its prime position made this tavern a popular joint.

READ MORE: This Little White Building Is Grand Rapids' Oldest Building |

This was the first building in the area and the town was built around the tavern. Throughout its many years, the tavern has swapped hands 18 times and is currently owned by Kelli and Jason Vance. The OTI's most popular menu options are its Hot Ham and its Goulash.

Now, when you see this building, you're probably thinking "Wow, that building looks very modern for being 190 years old," to which you make a wonderful point. While much of the building has been modernized, including flipping the entire building 90 degrees to face south rather than west, the current building was built around the original building, with much of the original building still existing inside the walls and under the floorboards, according to the Vances.

The tavern remains a popular place to go and doesn't look like it will go anywhere anytime soon. For a full interview with the current owners of the OTI, view the video below. Thank you to Carol Snapp for providing images for this article.