# What's the oldest building in the eastern United States? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-building-in-the-eastern-united-states/470356 "2008-10-31T00:33:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-building-in-the-eastern-united-states/470356/41 "2008-11-05T16:32:04Z")
The USS Constellation has a similar issue: > **[USS Constellation (1854)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Constellation_(1854))** > > USS Constellation is a sloop-of-war, the last sail-only warship designed and built by the United States Navy. She was built at the Gosport Shipyard between 1853 and 1855 and was named for the earlier frigate of the same name that had been broken up in 1853. The sloop's primary armament was 8-inch (203 mm) shell-firing guns and four 32-pounder long guns, though she carried other guns as well, including two Parrott rifle chase guns. Constellation's career as a front-line unit was relatively shor... ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-building-in-the-eastern-united-states/470356/42 "2008-11-05T16:45:45Z")
I’m tickled to learn about the Wing House (I think I’ve seen it on maps). Stephen Wing’s grandfather and namesake, the Rev. Stephen Bachelder, is two of my ancestors (don’t ask). While this isn’t in the running (about eighty years too late), another of my ancestors, Richard Blackburn, built the oldest surviving building in Prince William Co., Va. (Either his own home, Rippon Lodge, or the neighborhood church - I forget which). Blackburn also designed the original house at Mount Vernon for George Washington’s half-brother. Nice to know _somebody_ I’m related to did something useful. . . . ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-building-in-the-eastern-united-states/470356/43 "2008-11-08T19:59:54Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I believe it’s the Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store in Florala, Alabama. I don’t have a cite, but if you’d ever seen their restrooms, you’d agree. The first Piggly Wiggly is still standing and still in use and pretty icky as well although Piggly Wiggly no longer owns the location. I didn’t vist the restroom because the rest of the store so freaked me out. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-building-in-the-eastern-united-states/470356/44 "2008-11-09T01:32:53Z")
I suspect that Piggly Wiggly is in Tennessee. Maybe Memphis or Jackson. I think my dad said that he used to know the man who owned the first Piggly Wiggly. Ya’ll don’t consider that name-droppin’ do ya? I liked staying at the Concord Inn in Massachusetts. Part of it was Thoreau’s house and another part of the inn was where the munitions were stored that the British were coming after when they got to the Lexington-Concord area and ran into the Minute Men. It’s not the oldest inn, I’m sure, but its history gives me pause. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2008, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-building-in-the-eastern-united-states/470356/45 "2008-11-09T03:57:14Z")
the first Piggly Wiggly was on Main st in Memphis in 1916, it is now a Jack’s food store. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-building-in-the-eastern-united-states/470356.md?page=2)