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King of Prussia was settled by Welsh
immigrants in the early 1700’s who originally called it Reeseville,
after a prominent family who owned much of the land. During the later part
of the 18th century it became common to refer to the area as King of
Prussia, after a tavern by that name operated by the Reese family. That
may be the only piece of the puzzle which is certain; the exact date when
the tavern was established, and the political reasons behind the name, are
clouded by time.
The tavern was first licensed sometime between 1762 and 1769, but the
building may have existed as a private residence as early as 1709. It was
not uncommon at the time for homeowners situated on a main thoroughfare to
take in travelers, and many inns evolved from private residence to public
house over a period of years.
All agree that the inn was named to honor Frederick the Great, the King of
Prussia from 1740 to 1746, but the political reasons behind the name are
debated. One theory asserts it was named prior to the Revolution, to honor
Frederick’s assistance to the British in the seven Years War with
France, which ended in 1763. Others argue it was named to recognize
Frederick’s support and admiration for George Washington during the
Revolution. A more sales-oriented idea is that it was named to attract the
business of Prussian soldiers camped at Valley Forge. But on a spy map of
1777, the inn is referred to as “Berry’s,” the name of the general
manager at the time. In 1850 the postal service made common usage
official, recognizing the surrounding town’s name as “King of
Prussia.” |