Slippery Rock University announced that the Old Stone House in Brady Township will not open for the summer season.

The historic tavern, which was built in 1822 as the Pioneer Wayside Inn and rebuilt in 1963 by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, will remain closed to tours as well until further notice.

SRU took over operation and maintenance of the building 23 years ago.

In a Facebook post Monday announcing the closure, SRU thanked those who have expressed interest in tours or events.

“We’re sorry we’ll be unable to serve you this summer,” the post stated.

An SRU spokesman said William Behre, university president, would not be available Tuesday to discuss the closing but issued a written statement from Behre.

The statement said the university is planning to replace the building’s roof later in the summer.

“At this time, we are not ready to resume seasonal programming,” Behre said in the statement. “Depending on funding from the commonwealth, the university may be facing a budget deficit for the coming year as we continue to confront the economic effects related to the pandemic.”

Due to potential budget constraints, university officials made the difficult decision to “focus on preserving the building rather than offering programming.”

The Old Stone House hosts various activities throughout the temperate months, including historic war reenactments, Halloween events, historical demonstrations, children’s programming and more.

SRU took ownership of the Old Stone House in 1999; prior to that it had been owned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

The building originally served as a tavern offering sustenance and rest to weary travelers, but that use became obsolete with the advent of train travel.

The property was then rented as a family farmstead, and the final occupants abandoned it in 1918.

The building fell into disrepair and was little more than a pile of large stones among the brush until the early 1960s, when it was rebuilt through an effort by the conservancy to attract visitors to Moraine State Park’s northern section.

At one point in the 1980s, local residents were outraged to learn that the Historical and Museum Commission planned to sell the Old Stone House, as locals had donated money and artifacts to restore the building.

Former state Sen. Tim Shaffer of Butler took up the cause and helped forge a deal in which SRU would administer the site and the commission would retain ownership.

The Old Stone House is on Route 8 at the intersection of routes 528 and 173.