But what were locals eating centuries before any of that existed? What did a night out look like before Ohio was even a state?
To find the answer, you have to travel to a charming town in Warren County, just north of Cincinnati. Here sits a massive piece of living culinary history that has survived wars, pioneers, and changing modern tastes. It is The Golden Lamb, officially recognized as the oldest continuously operating business and restaurant in the state of Ohio.
The Birth of a Pioneer Landmark
The story begins in 1803—the same year Ohio was admitted to the Union as the 17th state.
A man named Jonas Seaman was granted a license to operate a “house of public entertainment” in the newly founded town of Lebanon. Weary travelers, pioneers, and politicians moving across the frontier needed a place to rest, drink, and eat, and Seaman provided a critical community hub…