Visit Philly’s only revolutionary tavern

Located on Spruce Street near the Delaware Waterfront, "A Man Full of Trouble" was a place for the working class to meet, drink and imagine what independence could look like.

Air Date: November 19, 2025 12:00 pm

A Man Full of Trouble Tavern at 127 Spruce Street near the corner of S. 2nd Street in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia was built in 1759. (Sources: "A Man Full of Trouble Tavern" on USHistory.org and Philadelphia Architecture: A Guide to the City (2nd ed.))

As the 250th anniversary of America’s founding approaches, we’re exploring the people, locations, food — and drinks — with fascinating connections to the revolution. One of those places is A Man Full of Trouble tavern, which opened its doors to thirsty dock workers in 1759.

Located on Spruce Street near the Delaware Waterfront, A Man Full of Trouble was a place for the working class to meet, drink, and stay, and imagine what independence could look like. The Society Hill space avoided demolition as the neighborhood developed and outlasted turnover and vacancies to become the city’s oldest surviving bar.

What was it like to gather in this small tavern after a long day of industrial labor? How central were spaces like these to the time, culture, and momentum of the revolution?

In the kick-off to a Studio 2 occasional series leading up to Independence Day 2026, we go on the road to understand what life was like for a Man Full of Trouble’s working class patrons.

Guests:

Dan Wheeler, Owner of A Man Full of Trouble tavern

Emma Hart, Professor of American History at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Trading Spaces: The Colonial Marketplace and the Foundations of American Capitalism

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