New Britain herald., 1919-07-11
FAMOUS OLD TAVERN IS NOW BUT MEMORY
Old Smith Homestead RaZed-
 Mas Of Historical Interest BUSINESS ASSO. MEETING
Members Have Asked for Extension of Gas Mains in TOWn-Mattcr Of store Awnings, Is Being Questioned -Othcr' NewSy Items.

Plainville's oldest tavern and one of it's oldest historical houses has been razed and is now nothing but mcm- ory. The place 3mentioned is known to local residents of the present day as the smith homestead at the corner of farmlnSton avenue and New Britain avenue.
 The old place dates we'll back into history and was built 40 years before 'llS town was incorporated. The house Was started in 1928 and finishcJ m lS29, thus making it exactly 90 years old at the present time It was constructed for Ebenezer Hawlev Whiting, a. prominent man of the old town The large house was built for a roadside tavern and served this pur- pose for many years. MT. Whiting held 1t but year after it's cample- ton and then sold it to Time othy COWles of Farming'ton, a member of the prominent COwleS family of the nel2hborlng town. MT. CoWleS start ed the tavern inm ediatcly after assum- ing ownership and installed Timothy steele as manager, .. The reputation of the hospitablc tavern spread through out oft he state and it became the stop place for many prominent figures ,f state in oldcn days ;
 The tavern became the favorito stopping place for the old Farnng g;ton militia In those days there were two companies of the militiamen in the nelehborlng~ town and military acuvi- ties were keen and full of rivalry. In the spring and fall of each year the two mpanies were drilling nearly all TO ti,,1n Of drill came to this town to enjoy a well served dinner at the tavern. These dinners were generally cooked in a large oven built. of stone and brick which stood in the rear of the tavern and the remains of which could be seen for many years Tho oven Wss>large enough to hold the en- tire dinner for the two companies and the men did not have to wait. for serv- ice. It is stated that the oven could hold enough to feed three or four hundred people.
 The historic building was at that time one of the largest and most i'm portant in the state Local contrac- tors could not complete the job and Lemuel and Edwin N. Lewis came here from New York state with d gang of men and erected the house.f Edwin N.- Lewis, remained here after the completion of the building, brought his family here and lived in town until death. He is great grand father of Capt. Edwin Newell Lewis of New York who was forme erly of this town and reported Plainville for The Heral d. At the same time the con- tractors built akstore to the north of the tavern WhRe the residence of Frank T. Wheeler now stands This store was the general, store of the town for some time.
 An immense barn was built in the rear of the tavern, and served as a hostelry. It was later used as a black smith shop. Tt was moved to the west of the tavern in 1872 when made into the shop.
 The building was the place Of the first postoftice Plainvlle ever had in the day when there were no trains or autos and the mail was, brought on horseback or stage coacheS It was the start of the mail system of the town which has now placed Plainville as q first" class postal town.
 John Royce owned the site Of the present Henry Trumbull homestead opposite where the house stood. Mr Royce conducted a, clock business and had a small factory there He em- ploNed large number of young ladies and they lived in the; tavern At the time the place was overcrowded in an attempt to OCcOm modate all the young women workers.
 William Blossom later came into ownership of the place and it was from him that the name. Blossoms corner was attached to the four cor ners and crossing of two roads at that point. MT. Blossom was prom inont man in the town and his name is among those who helped boost the