I wasn’t surprised to learn that the Old Angler’s Inn doesn’t exactly date to the 19th century. Rather, the building in Potomac was built on the site of a previous Anglers’ clubhouse that had burned down in 1896. The current building, now a restaurant, dates to just after 1900. Perfectly respectable.
I was surprised to learn that the story of a nearby gold-mine, operated by a Union soldier, was absolutely true. The ruins of the mine still sit near the C&O Canal, just a mile away from the Old Angler’s Inn. The mine even has a historical marker validating its existence.
Legend has it that the Anglers’ Association, whose nearby clubhouse inspired the Inn’s name, boasted several U.S. Presidents as members.
Old Angler’s Inn, Maryland Historical Trust