The Dolores star., 1905-09-08
New England Taverns
Especial -correspondence.)

tSpecl9l Col
Old Home Week always brings
much comment ON the deserted farm
house, which furnishes material for
unbounded romance and sentiment,
but one element has been neglected in
the stories relative to life on the New
Hampshire hillsides, and that is the
numerous old taverns. which have not
been abandoned by their owners to
fall into decay by disuse, but have in
stead been changed into prosperous
homesteads.
| Dozens OF these homesteads dot the
country roads wherever one may take
his way by auto or carriage through
out this region, and their existence is
q potent reminder Of days that fur
nished no palatial hotel or luxurious
accommodation to the traveller who
sought the White mountains. and yet
were unique in the customs whereby
man and beast found food and shelter
and hospitality.
In the pioneer days Of this region's'
history every log cabin was an inn In
the sense that it supplied this food
and shelter. The fare might be sim
pie and homely, but the welcome was
unstinted in its warm cordiality.
The first of these cabins serving as
inns In Littleton itself was the cabin
of Capt. Nathan Caswell, the first set
tier of the town. The site Is now
pointed out to visitors, and very near
may be seen a handsome monument
erected by the Daughters of the Revo-
luton Of Littleton in memory Of the
first white child born in the town. as
well as in honor of the revolutionary
heroes who enlisted in this locality.
The child born in the inn was named
Apthorp Caswell. Apthorp being then
the name of the town now Littleton.
Capt. Caswell's cabin was, of course.
not regular place Of entertainment
for the traveller, but those who sought
it were never turned away. Custom
gave way finally to regular places of
entertainment, which were known as
taverns.
First Taverns on the Road.
The road between Upper and Lower
Cohos then most Travelled had its tav-
erns at a distance Of every four or five
i miles. The first tavern was kept by
Jonas Nurse, an old settler, whose de-
scendants still live in this region. 1t
was on what is now known as the
Fitch place. 1t was large log cabin
with six rooms, the loft being reached
by a ladder. Sometimes guests were
SO numerous that the entire floor was
| given up to their accommodation, and
the large family of the landlord slept
ii, the loft. Many of the early town
meetings were held in its hospitable
quarters.
All these taverns had the same gen.
eral characteristics. They were log
cabins, and were larger thar those
erected solely for private use. An in
.eresting feature about them was the
immense stone fireplace and ovens,
with a stone hearth large enough to
cover one-half of the floor Of the mod
ern kitchen.
From the log houses evolved the
frame houses used as taverns, with
the same spirit of hospitality and good
cheer. Many story has been handed
down in regard to the bar. 1t is said
that every tavern in this region was
supplied with bar, and dealt gener-
ously in liquors. except the Williams
tavern, which was kept by James Will
Jams and was famous from Lancaster
to Lisbon and beyond. Foreign and
domestic liquors were to be found, the
domestic liquors being New England
rum and potato whisky.
| Hot flip was a favorite tavern drink.
II was considered certain preventive
for colds and similar ills, and every
traveller felt that. after enduring the
dangers Of the cold and rigorous win
! ter weather, he should order 1t at the
bar. Often the traveller, 1t Is said.
would call at every tavern along the
route for his glass Of flip, and, as the
taverns were only few miles apart,
one may readily imagine that he kept
warm and rendered himself imperv-
| ious to the rigors Of the climate.
| At all the taverns except the Will
Jams tavern, the poker was always
kept red hot. The poker was neces-
sary in the manufacture Of hot flip. 1t
- M -&9zyW