Blue Ball Tavern operated as early as 1798. Its name referred to a large blue ball suspended from a pole that, when raised, announced to travelers and teamsters that overnight accommodations were available. It played an important role in keeping the local community informed of political and social events occurring throughout the growing nation. As a community center tavern, it served as a post office for the early rural mail service, where mail brought city newspapers with the latest national events, giving people access to information and a place to freely discuss and debate issues no matter their standing in society. Because of the tavern's prominence, candidate nominations for elected offices in the newly formed Perry County were held there in 1820, and it also served as a voting pole for Juniata Township. Peter Kough purchased land there in 1790, and his son John purchased his father's estate and took over the tavern in 1811. Perhaps due to a national religious awakening that included early temperance leanings, John stopped selling alcohol in 1841. He donated land for Sulphur Spring Church, named for the spring at the tavern. In the late 1850s, John removed the wooden portion of the old tavern and built a farmhouse facing the new road, which had been relocated behind the old tavern several years earlier.