Hoovers Restaurant

Hoover’s Restaurant stands on an historic site which has offered cheer and good food to the weary traveler for almost 200 years.  In 1800, Plank Road was only a wide, muddy path, but it was the entrance to the Frontier County of Butler; that meant trade business.  John Duff applied for one of the county’s first tavern license-on this same lot of land. 

The old Plank Road survived until 1880, when the logs were replaced with sawed boards laid either on the ground or rails of 2x6’s. Neither nails nor spikes were used in deference to horses’ hooves.  Each heavy rain brought mud oozing up between the planks; travel was like hydroplaning across a semi-solid sea.  But the memories! Many a housewife listened anxiously for the clip-clop of the horses as the farm wagon returned from the two-day trip to the Allegheny Hay Market!

During the most recent era of this historic site, visitors have been greeted by an ice cream stand in the 40’s, the Nursery Tea Room and now by Hoover’s Restaurant.  From Indian path to stagecoaches to a four-lane highway, one theme has prevailed at this site- good food, good cheer, and a friendly welcome for all comers!

Shortly after John Duff and his early-bird tavern disappeared from the pages of history, Robert Shepard bought this plot of land from land-speculator Stephen Lowry, Shepard was well-known as an “art plaster”. His extant works include the Butler County courthouse and the Western Penitentiary. His grandson, George, built a commodious house along the Old Plank Road, later selling it to Freeland’s Nurseries, whose greenhouses covered the slopes behind the restaurant.  Freeland’s gave way to Eisler’s Nursery- hence the name Nursery Tea Room to Hoover’s Restaurant predecessor.  The Hoovers, who now own and operate the site, are third generation chefs, continuing to offer fine foods and hospitality to all.  This family-operated restaurant is following the fine tradition of colonial welcome on this historic site at the entrance to Butler County.