Alden Tavern Site facts for kids
|
Alden Tavern Site
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
Sketch of the Alden Tavern
|
|
 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 777-873 Norwich-Hartford Turnpike, Lebanon, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1738 |
| Architectural style | Fieldstone foundations |
| Part of | Lebanon Green Historic District (ID79002666) |
| NRHP reference No. | 98000361 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1998 |
| Designated CP | June 4, 1979 |
The Alden Tavern Site is a historic spot in Lebanon, Connecticut. A tavern is like an old inn or restaurant where people would eat, drink, and stay overnight. This tavern was built in 1738. It was owned by a person known as Captain Alden.
The Alden Tavern is famous for a special event during the American Revolutionary War. A British general named Richard Prescott was being held captive. He stopped at the tavern to eat. A big disagreement happened between General Prescott and Captain Alden. This event became a well-known story.
Today, the original tavern building is gone. Only its stone foundations remain. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. This list recognizes important historical places in the United States. Now, the site is a parking lot. It is called the Alden Tavern Parking Lot.
Who Owned the Tavern?
During the American Revolutionary War, Captain Alden ran the tavern. He was the owner at that time. Around 1850, the tavern was owned by Mr. Wattles. He was a relative of Captain Alden.
We do not know who the last owner was. We also do not know exactly when the tavern was destroyed. By 1903, the tavern site was part of the town green. This means it was an open public space.
A Famous Disagreement
The Alden Tavern is famous for a specific event. It involved Captain Alden and General Richard Prescott. General Prescott was a British commander. He was captured during the American Revolutionary War.
After his capture, General Prescott was being taken to General George Washington's headquarters. On the way, he stopped to eat at Alden's tavern. Several old books tell different versions of what happened next.
The stories all say that General Prescott was served a simple meal. It was a common dish of corn and beans. General Prescott was very rude. He threw his food on the floor. In some stories, he even said, "Do you give me the pigs' feed?"
Because of this disrespectful act, Captain Alden decided to punish General Prescott. This incident became a popular story. It showed how some Americans felt about the British during the war. Many books from the 1800s mention this tale. It even appeared in a fictional story in 2010.
What Happened to the Site?
The Alden Tavern site was recognized as historically important. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 13, 1998. At that time, only the stone foundations of the tavern were left. The site was important because of the famous event that happened there. It also had "Information Potential." This means it could teach us more about the past.
The site is also part of the Lebanon Green Historic District. This district includes many historic buildings in Lebanon.
Today, the Alden Tavern site is a parking lot. It is on land owned by the town. This land is next to Lebanon's Community Center. Before building the parking lot, archaeologists studied the site. They looked for old artifacts.
The town received money to build the parking lot. Construction started in April 2010. The new parking lot has 26 paved spaces. It also has 70 extra spaces on a grass field. The project was finished by the end of 2011. Now, the site is known as the Alden Tavern Parking Lot.
