Boswell's Tavern

Boswell's Tavern

Boswell's Tavern, HABS Photo, March 1983
Location Jct. of VA 22 and U.S. 15, Gordonsville, Virginia
Coordinates 38°04′12″N 78°11′01.8″W / 38.07000°N 78.183833°W / 38.07000; -78.183833Coordinates: 38°04′12″N 78°11′01.8″W / 38.07000°N 78.183833°W / 38.07000; -78.183833
Area 0 acres (0 ha)
NRHP Reference # 69000257[1]
VLR # 054-0007
Significant dates
Added to NRHP November 25, 1969
Designated VLR November 5, 1968[2]

Boswell's Tavern is an excellent example of a complete 18th century tavern in Virginia. Located near Gordonsville, Virginia, the tavern is located at the intersection of present-day U.S. Route 15 and Virginia State Route 22, the centerpiece of a village named after the tavern. The tavern was built in the mid-18th century, probably by Colonel John Boswell. The tavern was the site of a 1781 encampment by French forces during the American Revolutionary War under the Marquis de Lafayette.[3] The tavern was a frequent meeting place for notable Virginia figures, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Patrick Henry. A few colonial troops were captured at the tavern in March 1781 by British colonel Banastre Tarleton in an attempt to capture Jefferson and to disrupt meetings of the Virginia legislature.[4]

The tavern is a two-story three-bay frame building with prominent chimneys at the west end. The innkeeper's wing, originally 1-1/2 stories, has been increased in height to two stories. A small gabled porch is a modern addition, as is a one-story addition to the innkeeper's quarters. The public section consists of two main rooms, a warming room, a bar and a stair hall. Portions of the original bar remain. The innkeeper's wing consists of a single large room on the main level with a sleeping area above.[3]

Boswell's Tavern was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 25, 1969.[1] It is included in the Green Springs National Historic Landmark District, encompassing the surrounding countryside and a number of important houses from the 18th and 19th centuries.[5]

Aerial image of Boswell's Tavern

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  3. 1 2 Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff (April 28, 1969). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Boswell's Tavern" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  4. ↑ "Boswell's Tavern". Journey Through Hallowed Ground. National Park Service. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  5. ↑ Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff (February 1973). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Green Springs Historic District" (PDF). Retrieved 19 October 2011.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/28/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.