Settlement of the area did not begin in force until after the American Revolution. The early settlers cleared the land for farming. Much of this land is still farmed today. John Koch, one of the first to farm the area in the 1790s, opened the Blue Ball Tavern in 1811. This tavern served travellers on the Carlisle Pike between Carlisle and Sunbury. The tavern offered food, drink, and a sleeping loft. It became a gathering spot for locals as they discussed the news and gossip of the day. The Blue Ball Tavern served as a rest stop for messengers who travelled between Carlisle and Sunbury during the War of 1812. Rumor has it that the tavern was where the plans for the creation of Perry County were made in 1821. The tavern was closed in 1841. A farmhouse was built in 1865 on the foundation of the tavern. Some recycled boards and hardware from the tavern were used in the construction of the farmhouse which currently houses the Blue Ball Tavern Museum and a library that are operated by the Perry County Historical Society.