Historian Edward Field's lively and informative examination of American colonial taverns and inns sheds light on the social life of towns and villages in the 1600s and 1700s. Writing at the end of the 19th century, Field makes use of a variety of sources that mention the tavern and its role. It is apparent that inns were the central hub of activity in the villages and small townships that constituted colonial North America. Many laws were drafted as to the proper running of these bars, and the tavern keeper was a profession with standards refined over the course of decades. The conduct of citizens was a concern; while noting how taverns had positive effects in building community spirit in localities, some colonial officials legislated against public drunkenness and disorder. The everyday functions of the tavern are brought to life by Field, who appends order lists for food and drink supplies, and stories concerning various inns. We gain an impression of colonial life, how whole towns became established with inns at their centre, a gathering place for local folk of all description. Some tavern keepers were accomplished businessmen; as well as managing their accounts and supplies, and keeping order on the more raucous evenings, they arranged entertainments and events to keep customers joyful and satisfied.

American colonists knew just two types of public building: churches and taverns. At a time when drinking water was considered dangerous, everyone drank often and in quantity. The author explores the role of drinking and tavern sociability.

New England’s Colonial Inns and Taverns explores the history of these institutions and visits those that are still around. Today, there’s no better remedy for the winter blues than a visit to a Colonial tavern. For centuries, travelers who have stepped out of the cold and into a tavern have found not only hearty Yankee fare, but also a feast for the senses: the warmth of a roaring fire, the creaking of uneven plank floors, the intoxicating incense of a smoky hearth and mulled apple cider, the taste of a cocktail chased by a swig of history. Centuries ago, taverns offered respites for weary wayfarers on horseback. Today, they remain welcome havens from high-speed lives.

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Excerpt from The Colonial Tavern: A Glimpse of New England Town Life in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries The material that has been used to produce these reflections from the Colonial tavern has been gleaned from many sources. The various New England town histories and newspapers have disclosed many a curious item; old diaries, letters, account books and other writings have been studiously examined and their quaint entries liberally made use of; while state, town and court records have brought to light many forgotten episodes that have gone far to make up this picture of one side of the life in New England during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.