The Ship was opened in May 1985 after extensive renovations to the 1860 ²s Victorian building. The building, known as The Town Tavern was originally a bakery and then an ice cream parlor with a speak-easy in the back room during the Prohibition Era. In the 1950 ²s and sixties, the building housed a two lane bowling alley and served employees of the now-defunct paper mill. In 1985, Ann and David Hall purchased The Town Tavern, and transformed it into The Ship Inn, serving Watney's Red Barrel, John Courage Ale, Guinness, and our renowned fish and chips and shepherd's pie. The Ship was once again transformed itself in late 1994 to make way for a new 7 barrel British-style brewing system, additional dining adjacent to the brew house, a new kitchen and restrooms, and wheelchair accessibility from Honeysuckle Lane. On January 3rd 1995, The Ship was proud to become the first in New Jersey to brew beer for consumption on premise since the days of Prohibition.