Putnam patriot., 1930-06-05
LITTLE DAM TAVERN
 AND THUNDER CASTLE

[ of the factory villages. How many remember it? Some fifty or more ] years ago the teams. horses and hay were stored in the adjoining barn. l That was in the days when cotton was hawled to and from the mills to Prov | idenee and later. after the railroads were doing a thriving business. Both house and barn burnt many years ago. At the time of the eonflagration there were two engine houses housing hand tubs. When the Great Fire destroy ed the Quinebaug Block firemen came I from Worcester with their 'steam kettle (More about the fire company ! later).
 Tavern Remains Today
 Still can be seen the remains of the Little Dam Tavern-the sheds are gone--a sort of "Home Sweet Home" structure, such as the feminine mem 1 bers of the household used to work | on perforated paper for bookmarks three score years ago. It is a small one story and a half house at the juncture of the highways above the l bridged stream.
 Still can be seen. across the gravel road from the tavern, the proprietor's house. The spot is picturesque in the grouping of old arbor vitae trees, ] tthe smoke trees are no more) the l gnarled old wayside trees with the quaint house with fine old doorstep or l flatfoot stone beside which still can ] be found an old iron scraper for re- moving mire and muck from boots i (no cowhides these days) old or chards of delicious apples, juicy pears, and luscious peaches just beyond the house on the old rough Providence road.
 Still also remains partly ebseured by the encroaehing earth the old stones of the cellar where the barn once stood.
 Many we'll filled barns in ancient days were more commodious and bet ter than the taverns. which were 0f- ten small wayside houses-all that was necessary for refreshments of crackers. cheese. doughnuts, cider and rum. of which the proprietors kept a goodly supply on hand. To the bar of the tavern there were three en- frances but no bed accommodations, as was true to most small taverns.
 AfA AiAha were AiAtAAf dN Afit EtilA OH the dam. Cider was made from ap- ples, perry from pears. and peaehy from peaches Many stronger and more intoxicating liquors were made in large quantities-yeas and water formed a base for elder berries, juniper berries, pumpkins. sassafras bark, birch bark and various light drinks every taven boasted. From an old song:-
 "Oh We can make liquor to sweeten
 our lips
 Of pumpkins, of parsnips, of walnut
 tree chips
 For many years the colonists had no tea. chocolate. or coffee to drink. Fer many. many years tea and coffee were sold like medicine at the apothe- carries and at the grocers. Many queer mistakes were made through ignor- ance O. its use. Do you know the funny ones?
 Stories Current
 Many stories were current locally of the Dam Tavern and the house across the way (eertainly not roman tic) after and before the stage coach days gave place to the railroad times. One guest showed his fondness for eggs, of which he was in the habit of consuming large numbers. In fact, the landlord thought it joke to save the shells. which he arranged around on a shelf in regular decora- tive order as a convincing proof of his guests capabilities in that particu- lar branch of good living.
 About sixty-fve years ago, so the story runs, priest stopped at the tavern to get a drink for himself and one for his horse. The horse enjoy ed the beverage and would 20 like the wind" until he reached the Rhodesville schoolhouse where the Catholic services were first held every fourth Sunday. The Baptists were first in this locality, holding their meetings in private houses and later in the same building on alternate Sundays until after the division when the too liberal worships Universal ists) contiiued their services in the schoolhouse while the Baptists held forth in the passenger room of the Railroad (''Depot") station, freshly broomed for the services by the mas ter. John o. Fox (the first depot mastery. The New York. New Haven & Erie Railroad went no further-the Quinebaug was difficult to bridge. For many years much blasting of rock, digging and hauling to cut through the hill; fill in here and build up there made work for many new corners. The Norwich & Worcester road was eom- pleted--the other never was. In time the N. Y.. N. H., & E. was extended to New York and became the New York and New England which is now a branch of the N. r.. N H., X II. Railroad.
 The Dam Tavern seemed to go from he sublime to the ridiculous or the rid to the sublime as did Thunder Castle The Dam Tavern was oc- cupied by a clergyman, whose wife received the appelation of "Dusen- bury" and many tongues wagged in unison with hers of the gossip of the day. The bar was removed six or more decades ago.
 Thunder Castle