Jenks Tavern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Jenks Tavern
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jct. of Dorset West Rd. and VT 315, Rupert, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1807 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 94000191 |
| Added to NRHP | March 17, 1994 |
The Jenks Tavern is a very old building in Rupert, Vermont. It was once a busy place where travelers could stay. People also knew it as the East Rupert Hotel or the Hotel G. Jenks. It is located where West Dorset Road meets Vermont Routes 315 and 30.
This building was constructed around 1807. It is a great example of a place where people stayed in the early 1800s. The Jenks Tavern is important because it shows us what old inns looked like. In 1994, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the building is a private home.
Contents
What Does Jenks Tavern Look Like?
The Jenks Tavern is in a small area called East Rupert. It sits near the Mettawee River. The building is on about one acre of land. It faces west, looking toward West Dorset Road.
Building Features
The tavern is a two-and-a-half-story building. It is made of wood and has a pointed roof. The outside is covered with clapboard siding. It also has a strong stone foundation. A smaller, one-story part extends from the back of the building.
The front of the tavern has a two-story porch. This porch has five sections, with doors in the middle of each floor. All the windows are double-hung, which means they slide up and down. There are also two windows in the pointed parts of the roof on the sides.
Inside the Tavern
Inside, the building has a common layout for its time. There is a main hallway in the center. One of the most special parts of the tavern is its large ballroom. This ballroom is on the top floor, in the attic. It had a special "sprung floor" that was great for dancing!
A Place for Travelers and Dancers
The Jenks Tavern was built around 1807 by a man named James Moore, Jr. It was first connected to an even older tavern building. That older building is no longer there. James Moore, Jr. built the tavern because a new road, the Rupert Turnpike, was finished. This road connected Pawlet, Vermont to Salem, New York.
A Popular Stop
The tavern was also connected to a barn, but that was taken down in 1948. For many years, the Jenks Tavern was a popular place for travelers to stop. It was famous in the area for its amazing dance floor. Taverns like this were once common in southwestern Vermont. However, the Jenks Tavern is one of the few that still looks much like it did long ago. Since the 1930s, the building has either been empty or used as a private home.
