History Conversations | Colonial Taverns

Taverns in colonial times served many purposes. Alcohol was perhaps the main one, but they also provided food, sleep, news, gossip, and fellowship. Commonly the largest building in a town, a tavern might also serve as the courthouse, jail, stagecoach station, and community center. Jim Johnston will explain all this on Zoom on August 26, though in colonial times, he probably would have given his talk at a tavern. He has in fact given this talk at colonial taverns and has naturally frequented a few–for research purposes only, of course.