Colts Neck Inn, Once Owned By War Hero's widow, is 300 today

COLTS NECK, NJ - To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Colts Neck Inn, acting Mayor I.J.P. Bartolomeo, with the support of Mayor Russell Macnow, have declared today to be Colts Neck Inn Day in the township.

To return the favor, the Mavrookas family, which now runs the landmark on routes 537 and 34, has issued an open invitation to come to the birthday cocktail party between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the inn.

The facility, now called the Colts Neck Inn Chop and Steak House, consistently receives high marks as a steakhouse. But once upon a time, way back in 1717 it was founded and served as a stagecoach stop and tavern for The Burlington Path, which ran from the Atlantic Ocean to the Delaware River.

The inn was established in 1717 by the Laird family which came here from Scotland in 1698, according to the proclamation naming today as the day to celebrate the history of the structure whose walls - if they could - would tell stories of the Revolutionary War and the long-held belief that George Washington was a guest here.

It all started because Captain Joshua Huddy, also called Jack Huddy, lived in Colts Neck with his wife Catherine and their two daughters. He left to fight with Washington and had his own storied career, including his enthusiastic defense of the blockhouse and Salt Works in Toms River which were critical to helping keep the American troops properly fed.

Huddy was captured during that raid and escaped and captured again. He ultimately was put to death by the royalists.

Mrs. Huddy, along with the widow of Levi Hart, the Lairds, Frederick Luther and Louis Snyder operated the inn for a bit.

But its earlier history under the Lairds is perhaps what makes it stand out in the history of the spirits industry in the U.S. because next to the Colts Neck Inn was the original distillery for Laird & Company which began producing its Apple Jack Whiskey and apple brandy using apples from local orchards.

Laird & Company is the oldest licensed distillery in the U.S., according to the proclamation.

The Colts Neck Inn was once a stagecoach stop on The Burlington Path. Image via Shutterstock.