The Sign of the Bull's Head Tavern, Carlisle, Pennsylvania

The Sign of the Bull's Head Tavern was located on the southeast corner of High (Market) and West streets (lot no. 4) in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It is sometimes described at Main and High. The tavern was bought by David Lindsay the elder, in September of 1771 at a sheriff's sale. In a 1776 newspaper ad, John Forbes is listed as the 'tavern-keeper at the Sign of the Bull's Head in Front-street in Carlisle'.

Alexander Forsyth, David Lindsay's son-in-law is found in the tax records for Carlisle in 1778. He moved the following year to Hanover, York County, Pennsylvania and leased The Sign of the Horse Tavern there from Carl Reinecker. From 1779 until his death in 1829, Alexander was employed as a tavern-keeper. It seems likely that Alexander worked for David Lindsay in David's Carlisle tavern.

By June of 1782, David Lindsay had died, and in October of that year, his grandson, David Lindsay Jr. inherited the property. In 1789 a tavern license was granted to Robert Forbes, for the tavern. Robert Forbes may have been the son of John Forbes aforementioned. In 1796 and 1798 tavern licenses were granted to the grandson. It is not known who else tavern licenses were granted to prior to 1808.

On January 6, 1796, David Lindsay Jr. ran an add in the Kline's Carlisle Week Gazette offerng the tavern for sale. In 1798 the tavern was described as a being a two-story log house 25' x 20', with a one-story log kitchen 25' x 16', two log shops, and a log stable. On January 9, 1799 and January 30, 1799, David Lindsay Jr. ran more ads in Kline's offerng to rent the tavern as a boarding house. In 1809, David Lindsay Jr. finally sold the property to his cousin John Spotwood who sold it to John Faust. By 1809 the tavern had been renamed to The Globe. John Faust was granted tavern licenses there in 1808, 1809, 1811-1814, 1816, 1818, 1819, and 1821. In 1810, Faust was indicted for permitting gambling on the premesis. John Faust died before 1823 at which time his wife, Mary Faust, is found running the tavern. On March 20, 1824, she put the tavern up at public auction. It is not known who purchased it.

It is interesting that in 1776, 1789 and 1808, tavern licenses were granted to persons who did not own the tavern. In 1796, 1798, and 1799 it is also known that David Lindsay Jr. ran the tavern. It seems likely that David and both his grandsons leased out the tavern periodically.